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CHRIS-TO-LU-TION, 

WITH 

ITS EVOLUTION ILLUSTRATIONS, 




BY 



CHARLES R. EDWARDS, 







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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




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CHRISTOLUTION 



WITH 



Its Evolution Illustrations 



By CHARLES ROBINSON EDWARDS. 
\ 



A NEW SYSTEM OF TRUTHS; AND NEW REASONING ON 
MIND IN NATURE, CREATION, EVOLUTION, 

"FREE WILL," HEALTH, AND 3/7^/* 
HAPPINESS. 



7' 



A NEW THEOLOGY SUPPORTED BY SCIENCE, ACCOUNTING 

FOR EVIL, GIVING TRUER VIEWS OF GOD, OF CHRIST, 

OF THE POWER OF MIND IN HEALING, AND OF 

"REVELATIONS," AND HUMAN LANGUAGE; ALSO 

CORRECTING THE ERRORS OF CALVINISM, AND 

OF SO-CALLED "CHRISTIAN SCIENCE." 



BUFFALO, N. Y. 
CHRISTOLUTION MISSION 

No. 79 East Eagle Street. 



1894. 



^ 



Copyright, 1894, 
By CHARLES ROBINSON EDWARDS, 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 



The Courier Company, 
Printers and Binders, 

BUFFALO, N. Y. 



THE TITLE EXPLAINED. 



From the words Christian Evolution I have 
made the new name, and adjective, Chris-to-lu- 
tion, to be used in the title of this book, and 
to designate that all truth in all sciences, and 
all good in all religions, is from God, and is 
Christolution teaching. 

Charles E. Edwards. 

Buffalo, N. Y., 1894. 



INTEODUCTIOK 



As among mankind there is, almost universally, a 
belief of " future life," is it not wise and good to teach 
reasonable things concerning it ? 

To do this most effectually, as intelligence advances 
among men, must we not disarm old creeds of absurdities 
by defining a religion consistent with science and self- 
evident things ? 

To this end I beseech the intelligent and noble-minded 
to read this first book as a mere outline of Christolution. 

Through correct definitions of God, and of Nature, 
Christolution hopes to reconcile all that is known of 
science and truth with a true religion ; and to so define 
God as the Mind-in-Nature, that all men may learn 
to recognize such a God in religious relationship to 
mankind. 

And now to all people free enough to read and to 

teach honest religious thoughts, and who are willing to 

help make others and themselves wiser and better by 

Christolution study, this book is affectionately dedicated 

by the author. 

Charles E. Edwards. 

Buffalo, N. Y., 1894. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 

The New Word Christolution Explained, . . 3 

Introduction, 5 

Interesting Notice — Prominent Supporters, 11-16 
Christolution in Illustrations, .... 18-35 

CHAPTER I. 

Christolution View of Human Language, the 

Bible and Infallibility, 37 

CHAPTER II. 

Starting Truth on a Clearer Foundation — 
Nature, and Mind in Nature, Defined — 
Natural Impossibilities, 47 

CHAPTER III. 

New Reasoning and New Definitions Driving 
Out Some Old Errors — Natural Limitation 
of Power Leading to Reverence, .... 53 

CHAPTER IV. 

How a Plan is Decreed but not the Evils in 
It — A New View of Atonement — Divinity 
of Christ — Origin of Man's Mind — Glad- 
stone and the Agnostic, 61 



8 CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER V. 

Page. 

New Reasoning on Future Life, Beyond the 

Authority of Books, 73 

CHAPTER VI. 

Where and What is Deity, and Why Man Was 

Not Created Wiser and Better, . . . . • 78 

CHAPTER VII. 

Truer Views of "Punishment" — Some False 
Ideas About " Free Will 5 ' Corrected — God 
and the Savages, 83 

CHAPTER VIII. 

The Will and Its Relation to Other Ques- 
tions Further Discussed, 89 

CHAPTER IX. 

Remarks, with Brief Additional Corrections of 

Popular Errors, 96 

CHAPTER X. 

God in the Universe of Atoms and in Evolu- 
tion, ..... 100 

CHAPTER XI. 

The Eighteen Rules of Life — Morals, Polite- 
ness, Love, Wisdom and Right, 104 

CHAPTER XII. 
A Poem — God in Truth and Progress, . . .Ill 



CONTENTS. 9 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Page. 

What is Christian Healing ? — A Few Marvel- 
ous Examples for Explanation, . . . .113 

CHAPTER XIV. 

True Christian Healing Consistent with Sci- 
ence — Erroneous Theories Corrected, . . 127 

CHAPTER XV. 

God's Relation to Forces That Can Be Used 
for Evil or Good — Electricity — Hypno- 
tism — The Suicide Club, 145 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Instructions in Mental Treatment — An Inter- 
esting Example — A Christolution Prayer, . 154 

CHAPTER XVII. 
A Poem — He Dares to Do His Christian Faith, 163 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
Finally! - 164 



PUBLISHER'S NOTICE. 



Some Interesting Facts and Opinions About 
The Remarkable Book " Christolution with 
its Evolution Illustrations." 

The work was, most of it, in manuscript one year 
before the Columbian Exposition in America. It was 
written to remove old rubbish away from true founda- 
tions, so that creeds and theology need no longer drive 
any good men away from churches. 

One type-written copy was lent among representatives 
of public opinion — believers and unbelievers in old 
creeds. The new system of truths, clear reasoning and 
definitions, seemed to astonish the skeptic and the Chris- 
tian alike into nobler views of God and Christianity ! 

As a result the first edition is published in the 
Columbian year 402, the whole expense being raised 
by unexpected contributions from among the thirty 
readers of the manuscript — persons of different church 
denominations and others of no sectarian beliefs — all 
residents of Buffalo, N. Y., where the work was written 
by a relative of Jonathan Edwards, the Calvinistic theo- 
logian of five generations before. 

Among the following recommendations are names of 
some of the first supporters and contributors of means 
to publish the book " Christolution ; " all of whom had 
read the manuscript. 



12 interesting facts. 

Brief Extracts from Letters. 

Rev. Dr. H. W. Thomas, Chicago, 111., the eminent 
clergyman, who first read the manuscript : 

"I have read the type-written copy ' Christolution ' 
with deep interest and hope its truths will be presented 
to the world. * * * No one can find fault with its 
beautiful teachings." H. W. Thomas, D. D. 

Hon. David F. Day, President of the Society of 
Natural Sciences, Buffalo, N. Y. : 

" I have read the manuscript of the volume entitled 
' Christolution' with great interest. * * * It announces 
truths too valuable to be lost to the world." 

David F. Day. 

Lewis J. Bennett, a leading citizen of Buffalo, one 
of ten " readers of the manuscript " who made up a 
sum of two hundred dollars to aid the publication of the 
book, wrote as follows : 

" The work presents new ideas that will be well re- 
ceived by the students of nature, who are constantly 
searching for truth in all things. 

" I have always desired to believe in a Supreme Being, 
but have been unable to believe the old creeds as hereto- 
fore explained. But this book gives a view of Deity that 
is clearly consistent with science, nature, and all we see 
around us; and, at the same time, teaches a higher 
Christianity than the old theology. The book was more 
interesting and convincing than all I ever read or heard 
on the subject; and I have, all my life, given careful 
attention to such questions." 

Lewis J. Bennett. 



PROMINENT SUPPORTERS. 13 

From a letter of Hon. Tracy C. Becker, Buffalo, 
N. Y., a prominent citizen and lawyer: 

M I have read the advance sheets of the work ' Chris- 
tolution ' with much interest. * * * . I shall read the 
publication without fail when it appears." 

Tracy C. Becker. 

Among similar commendations by other readers of 
the manuscript, the above gentleman mentioned with 
special favor the views advocated in " Christolution," 
uniting its methods for mental treatment with suitable 
advice, when necessary, of progressive physicians. 

From a letter of the late Jonathan S. Buell, for 
many years a prominent citizen of Buffalo, N. Y. : 

* * * u j nave reac l the manuscript ' Christolution ' 
so kindly loaned me, not only once, but twice ; and some 
portions of it several times over; and each time with 
renewed interest. * * * 

u The noble work meets my highest approval; and I 
can commend it in the strongest terms. It cannot but 
produce a bountiful harvest, with innumerable adherents, 
who will arise from their lethargy and come forth to 
bless the author for the good work accomplished. 

" I predict the work will revolutionize the old creeds 
and prove a successful defense of a true Christianity. I 
shall want ten of the books myself. Some of them to 
send to my friends at a distance." J. S. Buell. 

Mrs. C. E. Staley, 363 Richmond Avenue, Buffalo, 
N. Y., an earnest worker in the Baptist Church, and 
often invited to address meetings of all denominations 
for Christian work, read the book in manuscript and said : 



14 INTERESTING FACTS. 

"It gave me such new and clearer views of God in 
science that I often cried out in tears of joy and satis- 
faction ! It is as beautifully written as it is grand in 
theory and reasoning." Mrs. C. E. Staley. 

The late Mr. Parke, a well-known lawyer in Buffalo, 
who made no secret of his disbelief in God and Chris- 
tianity, examined the book " Christolution " in manu- 
script and said to Mr. Peter Maischoss, a highly respected 
citizen, who had read the manuscript with interest : 

" / think it is the best that has ever been written in 
favor of Christianity and Deity" 

Mrs. Alice B. Hewitt, 2884 Main Street, Buffalo, 
N. Y., a leading member in the Baptist Church, formerly 
Principal of the High School in Lansing, and for the 
past ten years department principal of a public school in 
Buffalo, said in a letter to a friend, dated April 17, 
1894: 

"I met Mrs. Staley last Saturday and we had a long- 
talk about the book 6 Christolution,' which we had both 
read in the manuscript copy. She thinks it is grand, and 
so do L" 

"I believe that the intelligent portion of all denomina- 
tions will in time adopt the Christolution view of Chris- 
tianity," said another citizen of Buffalo, a critical reader 
of the manuscript. 

" That book will do good in the world," said Rev. Mr. 

B , a former pastor of Grace M. E. Church, at 

Buffalo. 



PROMINENT SUPPORTERS. 15 

" Whoever wrote that book," said a Rev. Dr. in the 

Methodist Church to Mr. B , who had lent him the 

manuscript, "was decidedly a clear thinker." 

Another clergyman selected to read the manuscript 
said: 

"It is a very startling, convincing and suggestive book. 
It is well written and will be valuable to any clergyman ; 
and to students of any belief. I shall purchase a copy 
when published." 

A well-educated business man said : 
" I think the book ' Christolution ' might well be called 
the Bible of Science! " 

"It will broaden the mind," was the remark of a 
highly-respected ex-judge in Erie County. 

" I believe in that book," said another prominent citi- 
zen and scholar in Buffalo, selected to read the manu- 
script. 

A prominent medical doctor also said : 

"I read the type- written copy with a great deal of 
interest. It is well written, and, in my opinion, will, in 
time, become a world-wide book" 

Cyrus K. Porter, 77 Bryant Street, Buffalo, N. Y., 
Founder of the Society of Royal Templars of Temper- 
ance, a highly-respected order now widely known in the 
United States and Canada, said : 

" With very great interest I read the manuscript of 
the new book ' Christolution.' It throws a clear light on 
many difficult questions. It puts things together in a 
new and interesting way ; both by words and a novelty of 



16 BY MAIL OR EXPRESS DELIVERED FREE. 

original designs which may be studied, as claimed, in 
argumentative interest with the teachings of the book. 
Its unique and concise style and its ingenious illustra- 
tions well account for the three years time spent in 
writing and revising it. Such a book must of necessity 
bear a higher price than ordinary literature." 

Special Notice. 

The profits of these books, and all contributions sent 
in, will be devoted to the Christolution mission work. 
Letters of inquiry should contain a two-cent stamp. 

Lectures by the author, without charge, to aid the 
work will occasionally be given when able to accept invi- 
tations from any locality. 

Each book contains eighteen illustrations, is bound in 
yellow cloth, with outside title and Christolution signet 
in blue ink ; and will be sent to any address by mail or 
express and freight or postage prepaid, until canvassing 
agents are appointed in every county or state. 

Persons desiring special terms, either as canvassing or 
general agents, must send cash order for at least one book 
and give references. 

Terms: Single copies, $2.00; five copies, $7.50. 
Payment by postal or express money-order, or registered 
letter to be enclosed with the order. 

Parties ordering single copies are requested to state in 
what newspaper they read notice of Christolution address. 
They will be earliest supplied, as some orders may have 
to wait a short time for printing. 

Address all letters, C. R. Edwards, 79 Eagle Street 
Mission, Buffalo, N. Y. (XL S. A.). 



The following seventeen illustrations designed 
by the author, and the one selected picture No. 11, are 
each one of interest in reference to things referred to in 
the chapters of this book, but, studied together in their 
character and order following each other, they suggest 
volumes of interesting thought supporting the Christolu- 
tion theory and arguments. God in evolution! 




V 



Study No. 1. 

Chaos : Time, Space, Atoms of Matter. Represented 
without the mental force in nature. 



Christolution with its Evolution Illustrations. 



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Study No. 2. 

The Spirit-force, or Mind-in-Nature, organizing our 
Sun system in the space now partially known to man. 
Starting our world from chaotic atoms of matter. 



20 



Christolution with its Evolution Illustrations. 




Study No. 3. 

A manifestation of intelligent power from the God- 
Mind-in-Nature in the creation of living creatures and 
their food to live on, on the earth ; and the wise adapta- 
tion of their forms to their needs and comfort. 



Christolution with its Evolution Illustrations. 



21 







Study No. 4. 

In due time another stage of progress was manifest in 
God's plan : The beginning of man's identity — the 
union of a degree of reason, by Spirit atoms from Mind- 
in-Nature, ivith organized atoms of matter — for the 
earthly life from which to reach the spirit birth into the 
future. 



22 



Christolution with its Evolution Illustrations. 







Study No. 5. 

Here man begins to manifest the possibilities designed 
for him in the wonderful adaptation of his material form 
to do works which his mind has the capacity to contrive, 
and search after, and reason about. 



Christolution with its Evolution Illustrations. 



23 




Study No. 6. 

In the evolution of God's plan the lesson here shows 
the glimpses which man began to have of some intelligent 
cause of all he observed. Though his worship be igno- 
rant he stands above the unprogressive animal. 



24 



Christolution with its Evolution Illustrations. 




Study No. 7. 
Abraham preparing to kill and to sacrifice his own son 
— not yet having reached the mental capacity for better 
and higher ideas of God's attributes and character! 
This and the next design are explained by Christolution 
only. 



Christolution with its Evolution Illustrations. 



25 




.Study No. 8. 



The Hindoo mother throwing her child into the river 
Ganges, hoping, like Abraham, to please her God ! Yet 
the pagoda and the architecture of Hindoostan, like the 
Jewish civilization, shows progress from primitive unedu- 
cated man. 



26 



Christolution with its Evolution Illustrations. 




Study No. 9. 

In this scene we reach the greatest lesson in God's 
evolution of man. The Man of Palestine has healed the 
cripple with power from God's mental plan ! And while 
the witnesses are talking of the marvelous cure, the great 
Syrian Teacher has calmly turned to bless the children 
standing near Him. This Christianity will yet be 
reached. 



Christolution with its Evolution Illustrations. 



27 




Study No. 10. 

The "good Samaritan" has turned aside from the line 
of travel to bind up the wounds of the man by the road- 
side. Possibly this Samaritan was not called a "fol- 
lower " of Christ ; but read Mark ix : 38-40. 



28 



Christolution with its Evolution Illustrations. 




No. 11 Selected. 

The discovery of the western world Tby Columbus. It 
was the faith of a Christian queen that aided Columbus 
— but it was all from the progressive plan of God. 



Christolution with its Evolution Illustrations. 



29 




Study No. 12. 

Schools and churches in the new world, after the dis- 
covery of America. Civilization in the plan of God 
conquering ignorance and the natural obstacles in the 
way of progress. 



30 



Christolution with its Evolution Illustrations. 




Study No. 13. 

Franklin reaching beyond the learning of colleges — 
hunting for electricity in the clouds with his kite and 
key. God in Science! Progress in college and in 
church. 



Christolution with its Evolution Illustrations. 



31 




Study No. 14. 

A scene in the United States of America prior to the 
civil war. Selling a slave woman at auction. A back- 
ward view among creeds and Christians. Progress the 
only hope for true Christianity. 



32 



Christoltition with its Evolution Illustrations. 




Study No. 15. 

Doctors bleeding General Washington in his last ill- 
ness. A slave woman standing for orders. Though 
frightful creeds and doses were then consistent with the 
highest diplomas of learning, yet education and thought 
lead to progress. 



Christolution with its Evolution Illustrations. 



33 




Study No. 16. 

Lincoln represented as standing on the portico of the 
presidential mansion, announcing his proclamation of 
freedom to slaves who are making manifestations of joy. 
General Grant and soldiers are also in view. In the 
distance at the left is the Capitol. Christian progress ! 



34 



Christolution with its Evolution Illustrations. 




Study No. 17. 



The visit of a regular doctor who believes in Christo- 
lution. He has brought some of God's flowers to the 
patient and the book Christolution for all in the house- 
hold. He will reach mental and physical needs ! Poi- 
sonous drugs and doubtful doses are passing away. (See 
chapters xiii, xvi.) 



Christolution with its Evolution Illustrations. 



35 




Study No. 18. 

The "lion and the lamb" at peace. Progress in all 
things reaching the Millennium — when disease shall be no 
more ; and ignorance and selfishness no longer rule ; and 
the brute in every sense shall be subdued by mind in 
higher evolution. 



CHAPTER I. 

CHRISTOLUTION VIEW OF HUMAN LANGUAGE, " INFAL- 
LIBILITY " AND THE BIBLE. 

God teaches man, as we to children speak; 
Words and thought must be suited to the weak. 

Human ideas and human language, from imperfection 
and thousands of years of gradual changes, compel us, 
in looking backward, to use reason in the views we 
should take of ancient writings. 

God, in His plan of progress, has brought us near to 
the twentieth century — far away from the time when in 
ancient literature, and in the backwardness of popular 
ideas, it was consistent to speak of Joshua's long and 
anxious hours of battle as if the sun had "stood still" 
to lengthen out the decisive day ! 

Teaching a true view of the Bible will not present 
opposition to any truth, justice, goodness, science or 
wisdom, and would relieve many good people from doubt 
and suffering anxiety. 

To deny some of our grandfather's views, or the teach- 
ings of Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, and Wesley, or to 
deny the perfection of human language, or some appa- 
rent meanings in ancient methods of instruction; or to 
deny the literal meaning of words which clearly contra- 
dict any truth, indicates no opposition to God and no 
lack of true goodness ; it simply indicates honest opinion 
and some degree of intelligence ! 



38 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

It indicates a search for consistent meaning and truer 
views about the Bible. 

The Old Testament is of great value to teach thought- 
ful people in these days that God is working on a plan 
of Christian evolution. The great Teacher in Palestine 
gave the "orthodox" Jews to understand that their 
u scriptures" (Bible) was not, all of it, adapted or 
written for His time, and that He had come to give them 
a higher and nobler understanding of God and His 
goodness and justice. 

Men became Christians then, nearly two thousand 
years ago, because they were bold enough to reason them- 
selves away, in some degree, from custom, prejudice, and 
cruel and unjust things. 

And to know something of the ever-present God-Mind- 
in-Nature, and His relations to His creatures by His 
dealings with us, and to know what is just, right and 
reasonable, we need not in this book go back to the 
writings of the man who killed an Egyptian and hid 
him in the sand ; nor of an ancient captain or ruler who 
once ordered an innocent soldier to his death for a sel- 
fish, evil purpose, and whose last days were not equal in 
goodness, morality and wisdom, to God's great emanci- 
pator, Abraham Lincoln, who said to his enemies, and 
to the whole world, "With malice toward none and 
charity for all;" nor equal in morality and goodness to 
that honored, wise and benevolent Jew of this nineteenth 
century, the late Montefiore. 

Verily, it is a great error in religious teaching, that 
men must make an idol of such antiquity, and read as if 



WORDS CHANGE IN MEANING. 39 

God is not inspiring noble men and women with wisdom 
and goodness in our own times. 

If we would convert intelligent people to higher truths 
we must outgrow bad doctrines and use good sense! 
For the time has come when men, women, and children 
think, read and reason. 

There is much in ancient language, both in words and 
methods, that requires new definitions and truer interpre- 
tations for this age. 

Every man of any education knows that in the course 
of time many words change in meaning, and that many 
a word is liable to have several meanings. 

It is generally some man of little capacity who really 
thinks he must take the Bible as it literally reads. It 
was a long time before our wisest clergymen ventured 
reason enough to explain to such Christians, that the 
creation of the world in "six days" did not probably 
mean periods of time in days of twenty -four hours ! and 
that the creation of Eve from Adam's rib might be only 
an "allegorical lesson." 

Some persons are afraid to use reason to correct any 
religious mistakes in the creeds of their fathers and 
grandfathers, because they have heard reason denounced, 
and that rationalism sometimes doubted the literal 
meaning that "God decreed all things," — such as mur- 
ders here, and actual fires hereafter for heathen nations 
and people of mistaken "beliefs ! " 

But this book, without regard to old theologies and 
obscure creeds, will be brave enough to use reason and 
science to give the Christian a more Godly view of the 



40 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Bible, and to convince the reason of the atheist that 
there is a God-mind in nature. 

In the early stages of evolutionary progress, God was 
pleased, as we may so express it to human thought, at 
the successful production of a Moses. But the masses 
of mankind must have been weaker-minded in the time 
of Moses than our children are now, or the methods of 
instruction must have been very different; or the writings 
of Moses would never have needed to convey the idea 
that an everywhere-present God was of human form; 
and literally inquired in the garden of Eden, " Where 
art thou, Adam?" 

And yet Christolution is consistent in teaching that 
God is the author of the Bible in a deep, reasonable, 
theological sense. 

Just as God, also, was the author of Moses, and of 
all the good possible in creation everywhere ; and just as 
clearly as Christolution shows God to be the author of 
every stage of evolution, and not the decreer of any evil ! 

But some people are wondering yet if it be right to 
say that God's word contains doubtful meaning, imper- 
fect language, and is really capable of misleading honest 
truth-searchers; and if it be right to use " reason" 
about it ! 

It is, however, very clear that Bible language and 
every language does mislead many minds. It was 
impossible for God to produce a Bible in human lan- 
guage to do otherwise until He could bring man with 
man's language to greater perfection. 

Theologians heretofore have been in trouble because 



WHY JUDGES DISAGREE. 41 

they thought they must believe God had power unlim- 
ited ; and that the Bible must be an infallible guide, and 
that doubtful or faulty language need not, and does not, 
exist in the Bible ; and that every one is wrong and in 
danger who does not believe it in their kind of " ortho- 
dox'' sense. 

Christolution clears away all this perplexity by show- 
ing that " unlimited power " is itself an erroneous doc- 
trine. Human thought is not perfect, hence its language 
cannot be. It is simply absurd to claim that God had 
power to cause a Bible to reveal His full relations to 
man in imperfect words or methods ; or reveal anything 
beyond the capacity of the reader to see or understand 
the meaning of. 

Men make laws in human language ; and judges in the 
courts of law often disagree as to the meaning or 
application. 

In church matters, Catholics accept decisions from 
their highest authorities ; and on the same principle Pres- 
byterians carry questions of heresy to their General 
Assembly and the Synod. 

All this goes to show that men cannot understand all 
questions alike about the Bible ; and they do not agree as 
to what is essential. 

It is evident that the Bible could not be an infallible 
guide unless human language and the Bible methods of 
teaching on one side, and the understanding of the 
reader on the other, were in both cases infallible. 

All this indicates that God's best possible plan was 
the plan of progression, even in regard to man's under- 



42 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

standing of God's revelations through the Bible and 
otherwise. There can be no progress without the use of 
our God-given reason ! 

Imperfect ideas, imperfect language, and all other 
evils to man, are such from inevitable obstacles ( as this 
book will clearly explain) which God finds in the way 
of advance ; and which God will overcome, and is over- 
coming, by all power possible, in the best of plans 
possible, the now historic and observed plan of evolution, 
progression. 

In this progress, the Bible itself came ; it is the work 
of God through man and human language ; through men 
in different ages ; and must be interpreted in the light of 
God's progressive truths. "The Bible was a growth," 
truly said the progressive Dr. Chivers the other Sun- 
day (1894) in a Baptist church of Buffalo. 

St. John tells us that all the things that Jesus did are 
not recorded in any book, and we all know that honest, 
good men do not get the same meaning out of what is 
recorded. For instance, there are two ways of under- 
standing Bible language as to Paul's use of the word 
"lie," in Romans iii: 7. And some read that God is of 
human form, mistaking ancient meanings ! 

Such facts alone ought to make a sectarian blush who 
puts his own literal interpretation upon human language 
in the Bible, and offers his meaning there as evidence 
to prove some sectarian absurdity which other good men 
and better scholars have doubted. 

No man can trust to & feeling that God is especially 
prompting him to a spiritual understanding "beyond 



A CRUEL CONSCIENCE. 43 

reason," nor trust to feeling that he is better than other 
men in beliefs, nor can he trust his conscience. 

For St. Paul tells us that he verily thought he was 
doing God service when he persecuted the Christians, 
and aided in stoning Stephen to death ! Ever since that 
time, Christians, too, have differed in consciences and 
opinions. 

The author knew of a case near Albion, N. Y., where 
an Evangelical minister " conscientiously " inflicted cruel 
punishment upon his own child, not six years old, finally 
holding its little hands against a hot stove, because the 
child either could not or would not say its prayers. He 
must break that child's " wicked will" he conscien- 
tiously thought. 

The child died from the effects of this parent's pun- 
ishments, and this orthodox believer in fire and ven- 
geance was sent to prison. 

Even conscience must listen to reason, and reason 
must distinguish between imagination and spiritual 
understanding. 

Men who piously throw reason aside in reading the 
Bible, or in construing Bible language, cannot be 
trusted as teachers in conscience nor in goodness. 

It is not conscience, nor ancient words nor figures, 
but correct understanding and clear reasoning that we 
must rely on for truth and right principles; otherwise 
men may read the Bible and fall into unreasonable 
doctrines. 

God's progress will e'er long bring His creatures to 
understand a new lesson in the Bible, where Abraham 



44 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

was deceived into a belief that God wanted a murder 
and a burnt-offering of Abraham's son. 

For Christolution will explain that God was by choice 
not in the evil temptation, but in that part of the 
transaction which brought Abraham as far out of his 
error as was possible in that early stage of man's mental 
capacity. 

Abraham, to his credit, or rather by the power and 
goodness of God, had been brought to see evidence of 
some supreme intelligence in nature above mankind, but 
his ideas of God's character (like the Hindoo who sac- 
rificed her child in the Ganges) were affected by ignor- 
ance ! by notions of bloody sacrifices ! then prevalent on 
the earth among tribes and nations, which the life and 
teachings of Christ, in a later stage of evolution, 
rebuked by a "new law " and new teachings. 

And good sense, whether it be called reason or heresy, 
is driving progressive minds to know what Christ meant 
when He said, " No man can come unto the Father 
except by me." 

" By me," evidently means the Christ-life, Christian 
goodness, measured not by an opinion on the reasons for 
the death of Christ, nor on baptism by water, nor on 
Trinity, nor on the mysterious relation of God to the 
Man of Nazareth; but by the "new law" exemplified 
in the life of Christ ; being good and doing good, and 
loving the Father of love and goodness for His goodness 
sake. 

The man, who by reason or any other way approaches 
nearest to that wise and good life, whether he ever heard 



SOCRATES "A CHRISTIAN." 45 

of Christ or not, is following nearest to Christ and to 
God. The meaning is in the life ; not a name ! 

And it was Christolution when Dr. Brigg's taught' that 
" Martineau found God by reason, and Newman through 
the Church," if they reached the right life, the life of 
love and goodness, and the desire of progress. 

And, for aught we know, Confucius and Socrates 
reached as far toward that life as the Christians who 
recently condemned Dr. Smith and the Rev. Dr. Briggs 
for reasonable teachings. 

Ought any one to read the Bible without the exercise 
of reason? "Let us reason together," was said way 
back in the Bible itself (Isaiah i: 18). 

Yet some men, even to-day, are teaching in so-called 
Christian churches that unless one can believe a certain 
orthodox-doctrine he will be damned, and after death 
his " soul " cast into a lake of fire and brimstone to 
endure its torments forever ! Taking the Bible literally 
as it reads, and, they think, as it means ! 

Yet no man with common sense ever teaches or 
believes it to be a just principle to punish children 
because they cannot see that a certain thing is true, or 
right, or good. 

The application of the same good sense to the words 
recorded as the meaning of Christ's teaching, would 
sufficiently prove that the original words in their ancient 
use did not mean an inflicted punishment by an angry 
God for a wrong belief or opinions ; no matter how literal 
the language recorded, "selected" or "interpreted" 
might seem to some people ! 



46 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

This briefly illustrates how Christolution principles 
and teachings are needed to define a truer Christianity, 
and a more reasonable theology to explain the Scriptures 
which were selected from many ancient manuscripts by 
mere men, hundreds of years after Christ, as in the 
Council of Trent or the Convention of Xice; and the 
last verse of the last chapter of St. John clearly indi- 
cates that all the teachings of Christ are not known to 
us now. 





t 





CHAPTER II. 

STARTING TRUTH ON A CLEARER FOUNDATION 
THAN OLD CREEDS. 

The world, and all created things in the universe, 
should be spoken of as the works of the God-mind-in- 
Nature. But in the universe, the stars and suns and 
worlds known to us are only one small point in the 
grand eternal. 

To avoid double meaning, this book will use the word 
nature to mean that which was never created, but it 
should be here noted that certain natural relations of 
things could only exist in principle and as an inactive law, 
unless God created or organized things either as spiritual 
or material individualities ; yet, Christolution will show 
that certain laws and relations can not be avoided in the 
creation of useful things; and this fact will aid us in 
accounting for so-called " evil," and make us better see 
the goodness of God. 

God is mind in nature, without beginning. 



48 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Space, time, chaotic matter, and mind in nature, 
always existed. 

The creation of the world, and of all material things 
in God's plan, is the intelligent organization of matter 
from the visible or the invisible chaos of natural matter. 

God has certain mysterious and mighty powers, within 
natural limitations, to organize and control forms of 
matter, and to give and unite mind to the bodies of His 
creatures. 

God possesses all power which infinite wisdom per- 
ceives to be possible. But there can be no power to 
annihilate the eternity of time nor the extent of space* 

The possibility of creating a world, or solid substance, 
or anything at all, from nothing, is as absurd as to teach 
a boy that adding tw r o ciphers make a unit, or subtract- 
ing nothing from nothing leaves a remainder of one ! 

We should prefer to believe that any such "revelation" 
from Moses was some ancient figure of speech. The 
very fact that theologians have generally taught that 
God and space always existed, should have led them to 
see that chaotic matter could also be without beginning 
just as well. And the skeptic ought to see that a God- 
mind in nature was there to create the matter into useful 
forms and things. 

It is self-evident that force from any power could not 
act upon that which is nothing. There would be nothing 
to reach or come in contact with. 

If, therefore, we say mental force produced the atoms 
of a world, or any substance, then that substance would 
have to be part of its own mind-force. 



NEW VIEWS OF GOD AND NATURE. 49 

This probably drove the Eddy school into the other 
absurdity, that " there is no matter" that " all is mind;" 
else they would have to say that God had changed part 
of His mind into matter. 

It is easier to believe that God, time, space, and 
atoms of matter always existed. Then we are not 
compelled to teach that the world or my pencil or pen is 
nothing ; or that its atoms were once part of God ; or 
came from nothing. 

Goodness, which neither desires nor decrees unnecessary 
suffering or evil, is God's character, and contradicts an 
" unlimited" power to reach the good desired, toithout the 
evils and sufferings that have taken place in this world 
along the road of progress. 

God's power has, therefore, natural limitations ; as will 
be further explained. 

It is unknown to man, and is not important in 
theology, whether there be a kind of life natural to any 
of the particles or atoms of matter or not. 

For if such life exist, God works that life as He does 
the particles of matter in chaos, into progressive forms 
and stages by evolutionary powers, to the end of all 
possible good. 

And even among God's higher creatures, it is seen that 
the superior mind influences or controls the lower, and 
is thus working in God's plan of progress. 

Evils come neither by decree nor permission, but as 
inevitable obstacles in the best of all plans possible, the 
plan of progress. 



50 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Man, by desire and God's plan of evolution, becomes 
a progressive individual spirit ; and by living in harmony 
with God's goodness, and reaching suitable degrees of 
spiritual understanding (supported logically, and contra- 
dicting no known truths), may so reach communion with 
other minds in nature as to do the good works which 
Christ did, and said His followers should be able to do — 
in the tenth chapter of Matthew; and which power, 
though lost in the dark centuries, is again appearing in 
the light of mental science and religious progress. 

All scientific or mysterious powers of mind over mind, 
and through mind over material bodies, belong to God's 
plan ; and they who reach the higher understanding will 
reach that higher spirit-life which dies not, but lives in 
the spirit world. They will advance in the higher possi- 
bilities, and in closer communion with God. 

True religion works with all truth, all science, to 
reach heavenly happiness here and hereafter, and often- 
times to heal the sick and the afflicted. 

A revelation of any good truth from any source is a 
revelation from God. It is not in any book alone that 
God teaches or helps His creatures. 

Nothing is truth which contradicts any truth. God 
reveals this fact to us in reason. 

That suffering, anciently called " damnation " or " pun- 
ishment," which comes from ignorance or wrong belief 
or opinions, is not an "infliction " of God for any blame 
or desert, but is the inevitable result, — when the suffer- 
ing is not for a wise and necessary discipline, to lead 
God's creatures into higher stages of progress. 



BELIEF IS AN OPINION. 51 

Any other interpretation of Bible would clearly con- 
tradict the goodness of God ; and hence such other record 
or interpretation could not be correct. God reveals this 
to many men — by reason. 

Christolution is Science and Christianity in harmony 
with each other. Christ and Evolution. 

Anything is wrong interpretation of Bible meaning, 
or is not literally true, which is inconsistent with God's 
goodness, or any known truth. 

Belief is an opinion, never a sin. 

Ignorance may produce a wrong belief; such belief 
may lead to suffering or disease, or regret. 

In ancient language, such misfortune may seem stated 
as a blameworthy thing for angry "punishment ." 

But the advance of intelligence compels a new state- 
ment of the relation between ignorance and "penalty." 

Human language and human interpretations and 
human theologians must not hold back the discovery of 
truer relations between God and His creatures, under a 
bigoted idea that any book should be taken without the 
exercise of reason. 

God's revelation through reason, sense, boohs and 
knowledge, and through every truth reaching the mind, 
is teaching us that while we have a right to question 
wrongs that others do or teach to the injury of society, 
we have no right to question any one's mere belief about 
the Bible, or its variously-explained doctrines ; or about 
the authority of ancient records; since belief is from the 
compulsion of evidence as we see it ! 

One man may believe that Christ had fc an existence in 



52 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

the God-niind-in-Nature before His manhood and birth, 
and that no other man's spiritual mentality ever had any 
such existence with the God-mind. 

A still wiser man may believe, that as the atoms of 
matter have always existed, and are created into forms 
by the wisdom and power of God, so " God breathed the 
breath of life" — a spiritual portion of Himself — into 
mankind to become individualities, properly and finally 
worthy to be called " sons of God "-and " joint heirs 
with Jesus Christ," as described in the eighth chapter of 
Romans, especially at verses 9, 14, 17, 19; and hence, 
that God is the Father of all mind, and in the Father the 
mind, soul, spirit of all mankind h&djirst life and being. 

Hence, there was a scientific meaning in Paul's words, 
"sons of God! " the pre-existence of man's mind! 

It would lead the common mind too much away from 
the great practical truths in Christolution, to discuss 
more of such questions here, than may be necessary to 
show that beliefs about them, do not, essentially, belong 
to Christian goodness, nor to any system of ethics ; and 
are unworthy of producing divisions in churches. 

Christolution, however, will sufficiently notice such 
truths as will clearly present a consistent and scientific 
system of Christianity; to which end some errors must 
be exposed and removed. This must be done to satisfy 
intelligent Christians, and skeptics, in this day of inquiry 
and public schools. 



CHAPTER III. 

NEW REASONING AND NEW DEFINITIONS, DRIVING OUT 

SOME OLD ERRORS. NATURAL LIMITATION OF POWER 

LEADING TO REVERENCE. 

It is time, in this age of electric light, thought, inven- 
tion, justice, education, humanity, and punishment for 
.discipline or protection, instead of vengeance, that 
Christians begin to understand that all progress be- 
longs to God. And that every new scientific truth, from 
any source, is related, somehow, to God and His plans, — 
and is part of Revelation. 

If all things for good are from God, then good reason- 
ing for good and for truth is from God in all ages of 
the world. It did not stop at the " Council of Trent." 

In this progress of things, it need not be incredible, 
if inspired by truth and love, some one in modern sense 
rises up to correct the old theology, and make scientific 
truths and better views of God agree together; and to 
define God's power so that it shall not make God, in a 
blameworthy sense, responsible for evil ; and yet, to teach 
that God is the creator of all things in a true sense of 
evolution and progress ; but, to show that all evil comes 
by temporary and inevitable obstacles in the way of 
all possible power. 

Nature is not only time, space, and chaos, but what- 
ever else is of fact, relation, or mathematical law, that 



54 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

was not created ; and which must exist in the nature of 
things ; even when a being of wisdom controls or organ- 
izes worlds and useful things. 

It is self-evident that mere distance and time would 
be a fact even if nothing else existed. 

It is self-evident that an eternal God could not exist 
without co-extensive time to exist in, and without space 
to be in. 

Also that is natural which comes inevitably into fact, 
or, is a relation of things after the things are created. 

For example, any planetary bodies in space created by 
the mind in nature must of necessity have size, form 
and quality ; and must be at a distance or in contact ; 
and must occupy space excluding other similar planets. 

God is part of nature ; mind in nature. God is spirit- 
substance existing everywhere in nature's chaos ; either 
in spirit or by certain unknown mind-powers over all 
things ; and over the original atoms of the things which 
God creates out of chaos ; but God is more manifest in 
some men and in some things than others, according to 
needs and possibilities in His plans. 

Chaos is the particles of matter. It is or may be in 
substances visible, or atoms invisible to man. It fills 
endless space, but not in the sense to exclude Mind-in- 
Nature. Matter itself has, of course, no intelligence. 
The brain itself is not the mind. 

In chaos and space God's power keeps the order of 
all worlds. 

Matter was never created. It was without beginning 
as God was. 



AN OLD DOCTRINE CORRECTED. 55 

We can believe that matter always existed, because we 
must believe that time and space always did exist, and 
are endless, even beyond all power to make otherwise. 

We cannot believe that Mind-in-Nature created itself ; 
nor that a particle of matter was ever created out of 
nothing. 

God does not expect us to believe what He forbids in 
the reason He gave us. 

It would be absurd to claim that any power of God 
or nature could produce a particle of matter without 
form or quality or size. 

It is not possible that a number of bodies could exist 
without inevitable laws regarding them ; as two and one 
are three, and the relation of distance they must bear 
to each other. 

Yet we can plainly see the possibility of power con- 
trolling the contact of bodies or their distances, and 
their sizes and forms. 

It is also plain that we do not know the natures of 
the invisible particles of chaos ; nor the extent or the 
limit of power over them. 

These and other facts, from a scientific view, demand a 
correction in the definition of Omnipotence, or the false 
doctrine of Unlimited Power. 

And Christolution will further on show that God's 
goodness would not be consistent with unlimited power 
producing evil ; hence science and goodness both demand 
the same correction of that " orthodox " error. 

Christolution defines the power of God to be unlim- 



56 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

ited as to its endless dominion in space, but as to possi- 
bilities subject to natural limitations. 

In other words, the God-power cannot disregard all 
conditions and eternal principles any more than it can 
abolish space ; and hence is, in fact, clearly limited, but 
the extent of limitation and the extent of possibility 
are beyond man's comprehension. 

God's power is all that it is possible to be in the 
nature of things. God's plan of evolution and pro- 
gression, as we observe it, implies obstacles along the 
way that are to be overcome by advancing, and cannot 
be avoided all at once and without condition. 

It is simply an exaggerated expression to say, " All 
things are possible with God." But such fashion of 
exaggeration is often forcible, and is common in the 
Bible and in all human language. 

The harm only begins with bigots who refuse to use 
the sense and reason God gives them. ( St. John, xxi : 
25; Mark, ix: 42,43.) 

It is not safe to search for truth and assume that some 
popular meaning is correct because unlearned times or 
bad theology has produced a word in the dictionary for 
it, or a phrase in the pulpit. " Omnipotence " has a wrong 
meaning; so has " God's anger." 

" Infant damnation " is nearly out of use. 

u Unlimited power," making God the author of all 
evil, soon will be. 

Most creeds, however, still make God the direct free 
chooser and decreer of all results and all things, all sin 
and suffering. 



ANOTHER DOCTRINE CORRECTED. 57 

Some Christians try to explain that God only permits 
the terrible crimes, and accidents, and sufferings that 
seem to come on the good and bad alike. 

But " permission" does not get out of the difficulty; 
for what good father would permit a savage to burn 
his children at the stake, or a beast to tear his child 
in pieces? 

Read carefully, and Christolution will show that God 
neither decreed nor permitted evil; except in that clearly 
justifiable sense, that natural limitation is seen in the 
wisdom of God to prevent any better plan than evolu- 
tion and progress ; and that God has chosen that plan, 
knowing that He could not raise men above ignorance, 
suffering and crime toward a higher and better life any 
faster than He has done. 

We may know that the comparatively few cruelties 
and accidents in God's pleasant world, therefore, which 
do actually take place could not be avoided. 

Can there be anything more absurd than a Christian 
charging God with causing unnecessary evil, either in 
man's mind or body ? 

Orthodoxy must say unnecessary, because its " unlim- 
ited-power " doctrine could choose a better plan ; could 
do the same good, and a great deal better, without any 
sin, pain or suffering. 

All this orthodox charge against the goodness of God, 
comes from bad theology and wrong views of the Bible. 
Unlimited power ! yet choosing and decreeing evil ? 
Unlimited goodness ! permitting itself to do so ? Unlim- 
ited wisdom knowing no way out of its own plan of 



58 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

ruin, except by decreeing the murder of the only inno- 
cent man on earth ! ! And all this wisdom, goodness and 
" omnipotence " to fail of benefit to any one who cannot 
believe such absurd meaning ? ! ! 

Has God prepared a lake of fire as a suitable punish- 
ment for such unbelief ? which unbelief (the old theology 
says) God Himself (in " decreeing all things") decreed, 
by giving some minds too much intelligence to believe it ! 

We need such an interpretation of ancient methods of 
teaching, and such a theology as can command the 
respect of all good men of education and science. So- 
called infidels are made such by bad theology, and by 
too many narrow minds in the pulpits. 

Orthodox churches are full of quiet doubters — private 
unbelief of old creeds. 

When the pulpit advances to Christolution, true 
Christianity can be defended by Science ; and broad 
minds, like Prof. Swing and Dr. Thomas, of Chicago, 
will not have to leave small churches for larger halls to 
preach common sense and avoid absurdities ! 

By habit, wrong education and popular notions of 
reverence, some people think they are praising God in 
the doctrine of Unlimited Power ; not once thinking that 
such praise compels them to charge God with willingly 
choosing and creating that hereditary laic, which, on 
account of Eve's first mistake (by orthodox interpre- 
tation), carries disease, sin, suffering and death into the 
minds and bodies of all God's children ! 

Will common school education much longer allow 
such doctrine to be preached from our pulpits? Can 



INFIDELITY CAUSED BY BAD THEOLOGY. 59 

honest men of these times truthfully say they believe 
such things ? 

True Christianity is something better. 

Such an obstacle ( or " hereditary law " ) in the road 
of man's progress seems to have existed; but Christo- 
lution teaches that God did not decree nor desire its 
evil work ; and is raising man to a higher life above such 
temporary impediments. 

The old theology teaches that God is the willing author 
of that law and all its results. If God's power be 
unlimited, there is no way out of such old teaching. 

If there had been unlimited power to create such an 
unjust result in hereditary law, the same power could 
have made it transmit good only, instead of evil. 

A law to have carried good inclination, health and 
wisdom from God's own work, would not have interfered 
with that orthodox problem " free will " any more than 
the law would, which, according to orthodoxy, trans- 
mitted evil to all mankind; and for a single mistake of 
Eve, when she had always been good. 

Thus Christolution proves that unlimited power is 
contradicted by good religion and science both; while 
natural limitation, and the existence of obstacles remova- 
ble in God's power and wisdom by evolution and pro- 
gressive conditions, stand clearly supported by every 
observed fact in nature, and by every principle of good 
in the Christian religion. 

Christolution power makes it clear how God is the 
author of all good, and the evil is only the obstacle in 



60 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

the way of reaching the good ; which God perceives 
He has power to reach by progressive stages. 

It is in the very nature of things that while God has 
power to organize or control matter in the degrees 
known to Himself, the very plan of progress implies that 
conditions must exist, and other conditions must be 
reached, before all obstacles can be removed. 

Thus the true word, progress, contradicts the false 
word, omnipotence. 

Thus it is that before the cruelty of a savage can be 
changed by Deity, He must raise man to civilization, 
and then to the further advance, the enlightened stage. 

The Christ-life is not yet fully reached by a single 
community of mankind. 

We have, therefore, no reason to believe that God can 
prevent evil, sickness and suffering, in any better or 
faster way than He does prevent it. Thus Christolution 
drives us in reason to love and reverence God ! 

When we consider all the blessings of health, all the 
comforts and enjoyments of enlightened nations, and 
what a pleasant, beautiful world God has already pro- 
duced by making conditions and by waiting conditions 
of progress, we should be filled with gladness, love and 
reverence for such Christolution power of God and 
uncontradicted goodness. 



CHAPTER IV. 

HOW A PLAN IS DECREED BUT NOT THE EVILS IN IT. 

A NEW VIEW OF " ATONEMENT." GLADSTONE AND 

THE AGNOSTIC. 

Natural obstacles, or evils incidentally taking place 
in the course of progress, may be called fatalities or real 
nature in the relations and conditions of things ; and yet, 
if God had created nothing, of course fatalities could 
have effected nothing. 

But there is a wide difference which some reasoners 
do not at first see, whether we may say God decreed 
a plan with evil in it, or decreed the evils in His plan. 

For Christolution teaches that there was no power to 
prevent the evils which actually do come into God's 
plan — not at the time they come — for we must suppose 
that God chose the plan which contained the least 
possible evils which natural fatalities could cause in 
God's progressive work. 

Thus it is scientific and consistent to say that God 
desired and decreed the good only, and that evil comes 
by fatality or natural working. 

Natural fatalities do not always bring evils ; it would 
be impossible for God to produce a beautiful rose for 
man without form or limitation of size ; this impossi- 
bility is not an evil, but it illustrates a natural restric- 
tion, natural limitation of power, a kind of law or 



62 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

natural fatality which God did not create, but does 
have to deal with. 

In this view, we must suppose that the evil in Adam, 
whether it was too much selfishness or too much ignor- 
ance, came about by some fatality or real nature, and 
not by choice or decree of God. 

No murder ( nor any other evil act ) was ever decreed 
by Deity, as to the evil act itself. 

When Abraham Lincoln ordered and desired that 
armies should go into battle to secure the principles of 
freedom to all people in America, he did not desire the 
death of a single soldier ; yet he knew that death would 
come in the plan of war. 

There was no plan without obstacles ; the best plan 
was chosen ; the evils were incidental, or natural to the 
unavoidable conditions of things. 

Now we must suppose that God chose the best plan 
possible ; and as a rose could not be produced without 
regard to natural law, and must have bounds as to size 
or be too large for the object desired, so natural fatal- 
ities or obstacles prevented man from being produced on 
a better plan than progression ; so he starts with defects 
unavoidable in the union of matter and mind, lacking 
much in judgment and not seeing the folly of too much 
selfishness ; hence, we see that such a teacher as Jesus 
Christ reaching the higher life Himself, which life God 
intends man to reach as fast as possible, would naturally 
meet obstacles and death in that backward degree of 
progress, when He taught God's power to men. 

Yet the execution of Christ would turn attention to 



A DEEP MYSTERY EXPLAINED. 63 

His teachings, by the gratitude and sympathy which man- 
kind would feel for His sufferings in the great plan 
— evolution, progress. 

The ignorance of the past could not understand the 
true and deep reasoning in the plan ; hence to mankind 
it has seemed that the murder of Christ was desired as 
a just thing by the Father of goodness. 

But the intelligence of man now begins to know that 
it was the plan that was chosen without desiring a single 
evil in it, and that the temporary evils that have come 
were unavoidable to the leaders and soldiers in the march 
of progress. 

Such will be the final understanding of the doctrine 
called " Atonement;" when men will be able to see 
reasonable, new and truer meanings around the word 
" Salvation," — saved from evils and sufferings, not for a 
murder, but for living the life of the God-like teacher 
who sacrificed His life giving truth to man. 

In this connection let us consider more fully in what 
sense it may be said that Christ was with the " Father " 
before the world began. And to understand this more 
clearly, let us also consider whether the mental part of 
man did not come from the God-mind-in-Nature, which 
must be a spirit — something as eternal as the atoms of 
matter or the conditions of time and space. 

Now if God produced the visible body of man by evo- 
lution, or otherwise, from something, as He did the world 
from pre-existing atoms of matter, and also breathed 
into man some portion of His own being,* then we begin 

* See last page of Chapter II. 



64 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

to see how science can believe of man's mind what it 
already proclaims of matter — eternal existence ; first in 
Deity, then in the creature, individualized man. 

When once the spirit-mind has reached or begun such 
an identity in each individual man, that God can keep 
it in the army of progress, why should its individual and 
eternal continuance in a spirit body be doubted ? 

The something, which designed and created and began 
the identity of man's material body must be above mere 
matter, and have an identity itself. This was God. 

Man as man had a beginning; but the existence of 
that mentality before that beginning was part of Deity. 

It was possible for God to produce man by evolution^ 
it was not possible to bring man toward perfection 
any faster. 

But in due time God's plan did produce a man, whose 
goodness and spiritual understanding was in such har- 
mony with God's love, that it was possible for the 
" Father" and the "Son'* to work together for the good 
of mankind. 

Jesus Christ demonstrated that it was possible for 
man to so live the higher life that he could receive power 
from God. For Christ healed the sick through marvel- 
ous mental power ; and taught many of His followers that 
they, too, might reach the same wisdom, power and good- 
ness to heal "divers complaints." 

If those who claim to be the followers of Christ in 
these days, do not live in the same harmony with God's 
goodness and desire, and cannot now work with God as 
Peter did, it is not the fault of the God-mind, nor of 



NEW VIEW OF DIVINITY IN CHRIST. 65 

the teachings of the Man of Nazareth; it is the weak- 
ness of so-called Christians. And this weakness is one 
of the obstacles God is removing as fast as possible. 

From all this we see how man, even though he must 
pass through the lower life, subject to suffer from his 
own blindness and inability, and to be painfully governed 
by others in almost equal ignorance, is from, and part 
of, the Divine. 

By these things man shall gain a glimpse of how 
Deity not only " breathed" a spark of Himself into man 
at the beginning of our race, but of the power of God 
to reach the whole life and the beginning germ of each 
human being, subject to laws and conditions reachable 
within the natural limitations of power. 

In this view, consistently with science and Christian 
goodness, it is seen, first, that the Man of Nazareth could 
be spoken of as Divine, from Divinity. This is none 
the less true, even though the second fact be apparent, 
that all mind is from the God-mind, especially when it is 
considered how this book accounts for the imperfections 
of mankind and for all evil. 

Christolution comes to make Christians more rea- 
sonable ; and to help them understand that it is no 
blameworthy thing for any man to hold honest opinions 
different from another man ; even in reference to Bible 
meanings, interpretations, correctness or degree of inspi- 
ration. 

In starting any identity of life, obstacles to greater 
comfort, or to evolution, have temporary existence by the 
law of natural limitation of power. The causes which 



66 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

prevent some blossoms from reaching maturity illustrate 
the same law. 

We thus have an explanation of the end of any life 
born as an animal is, under conditions preventing prog- 
ress or eternal life. 

God in His goodness would send such identity, if it 
reached reason at all, not into the old theological " fires," 
but would let it find, like the blasted blossom, " eternal 
death;" peace justly to its misfortunes, not " eternal 
tortures " by " curse" and " wrath " ! 

The idiot, or a mind of impossible progress, if there be 
such evil birth, would thus fail to become a future identity, 
and thus be eternally lost as an individual being ; the 
spirit atoms of birth from the God-mind would return 
to its place of unimportant minuteness in the universe 
of mind. 

By the plan evolution, he that liveth for and "seeketh 
eternal life shall find it ; " while the fruit that cometh 
like the blasted blossoms not to the progressive life, shall, 
like the " seed in barren ground," if it start unfavorably 
and unworthy of future life, find in mercy, in goodness, 
"eternal death" not in the "anger" of Deity useless 
living torture, forbidding reform ! Though in ancient 
words the lesson may have seemed so expressed to many 
theologians, and to some readers now, who dare not use 
the reason God gave to man for use. 

In the union of Science and Christianity, man is 
beginning to learn that his life must approach the unsel- 
fish life of the God-man of Palestine, — who first taught 
the source of the power of mind to heal the sick and the 



NEW VIEW OF SALVATION. 67 

broken-hearted, — before man can be in harmony with 
God's power to cast out in the higher degrees of success 
the pain and disease of the mind, or evil thoughts, envy, 
hatred and contention, for his own good in life, or to 
do the same loving work for others. 

Christolution makes men know the necessity of condi- 
tions. Man will then use th o- reason and understanding, 
to which God has found it possible in each individual 
case to raise him, for searching out the way of life, — the 
kind of hnoioledge which can lead man into harmony 
with God's power. 

How beautiful the thought ! What a sure salvation 
from all bitterness, sorrow and suffering, the conditions, 
" Do unto others as ye would that they should do unto 

you"! 

"On this hangs all the wisdom of the prophets." No 
matter as to " blame" what else one honestly believes. 

Yet, to be lost in a fiery hell of mental and physical 
tortures, means to lose comfort, peace, contentment, 
health, all, while reaping the fruit of evil, selfishm ss and 
ignorance by disobedience of laws and rules which God 
in many ways is revealing to man. ( See Chapter XI.) 

Think on that salvation which shall come to every man, 
woman and child, when every one shall strive to live as 
God is striving to have them. 

Could there be a more God-like salvation than living 
the beautiful, unselfish life of Jesus Christ ? 

God is bringing progress to higher truths than old 
lessons of " bloody sacrifice ! " 

How insignificant must be belief and creed, and cheap, 



68 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

flattering words of form and ceremony, compared to doing 
the good works of Christ, or striving by such a life to 
honor God and to reach His loving hand ! Yet impres- 
sive ceremonies should not be omitted. 

Belief in Christ is to believe in the Christ-life, and in 
reaching God through efforts to live that life. Not in 
doctrines about baptism and ceremonies, or obscure mean- 
ings about Trinity and Atonement. 

When Cromwell commanded his soldiers to " pray to 
God and keep their powder dry," Cromwell knew that 
suitable conditions are necessary even for God's power to 
remove obstacles in the way of reaching a higher good 
for man. 

Christolution claims the same thing. Keep your mental 
condition right ; live the life of Christ ; possess the same 
intense desire to do good; then, besides other suitable 
ways and means to aid in healing the afflicted, unite your 
own God-given force in mind with God's mind ! believing 
God thus influences the spiritual body within the sick 
one's material form ! and restores the sick one's mind to 
his own God-given life and powers within the visible body. 
Realize that the God in Nature, which hath power to 
create worlds out of the particles of chaos, and to organ- 
ize particles of matter into the form of man, hath equal 
power to restore man's body to health for both spiritual 
and material uses ; according to conditions and suitable 
rules and means which God finds possible in part to reveal 
to us from time to time. 

In the progress of wisdom, under natural limitations, 
God creates visible forms from the invisible thinness of 



CONDITIONS, POWER, EVOLUTION. 69 

matter in chaos. For instance, from invisible atoms He 
organized earth, rocks and water. All are for uses in 
God's plan and to advance the happiness of living things. 

It may be that life is natural to some of the invisible 
particles of chaos; and that creation is God's organization 
of such natural life into progressive existences ; but this 
we know not. 

It is no irreverence if one does believe there is a life 
and innumerable qualities naturally existing in matter; 
because, from such natural existence the overseeing mind 
of God evolves them into superior forms of life. 

But we have reason to believe that all forms of matter 
and' all living things are from God's action. 

The healthy continuance of anything, its repair or 
restoration, is under God's control, subject to the before- 
mentioned law of natural limitation, which seems to 
necessitate progression as God's best plan in wisdom. 

For example : " God created the world and all things 
therein," requiring, as God's word in the rocks informs 
us, great cycles in time ; and God waited conditions fit 
for human life. 

At last God produced man to do things through man's 
material hands, which, as far as we know, God could not 
do otherwise. Hence : 

Man's mind, working in and with a material form, be- 
comes a means planned of God, so that God and His 
creature can do together what cannot be done separately. 

Thus we see the need of man obeying God's require- 
ments as a condition before God can do certain things 
for man's good. 



70 CHRISTOLLTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

And thus Christolution explains GocVs religion con- 
sistently with all truth, with all sciences, with all things 
as we know them. 

No matter how ancient words may appear in modern 
reading, that is either not the truth, or not the true mean- 
ing which contradicts any truth which God in any way 
leads us to know. For example : Vengeance and cruelty 
taught in modern meaning, as to God's dealings with 
man, forbidding reformation after death, would contradict 
goodness. And so unlimited power would contradict the 
goodness and wisdom of any plan with evil and suffering 
in it; for then there would be unlimited power to avoid 
evil — by a better plan. 

It is better , to admit there is a mistake in the old 
record, or in the interpretation, or by a change of mean- 
ing in some words, than to doubt God's goodness, and 
thus thin out the churches by private skepticism and 
indifference. 

All that is in reality evil or undesirable, is caused 
or made necessary by obstacles which progress must at 
that time submit to — in its march toward higher pos- 
sibilities. 

Hence, errors, contradictions, and absurd reasonings, 
and even the cruel beliefs taught heretofore in Christian 
churches and by theologians, are not, in a blameworthy 
sense, against the church of the past ; for though not yet 
wise, it was in the march of progress, as also the mistakes 
of the present should be regarded. 

God uses all things as far as possible in their time for 



GLADSTONE AND THE HINDOO. 71 

good ; and, as explained in this book, ignorance and all 
evils that come, come of necessity. 

God's plan, as one of the innumerable productions, 
brought forth the individuality of Gladstone ; yet even 
that grand old Englishman has not reached perfect wis- 
dom. In his replies to Ingersoll in the North American 
Review, 1892, he weakens his defense of Christianity 
by trying to fasten sinful blame upon heathen wor- 
shipers of idols ; and, to justify the old idea of punish- 
ment, upon the heathen mother whose honesty and sin- 
cerity, as strong as Abraham's was, led her to offer her 
child a sacrifice to Tier God in the River Ganges. 

Yet Gladstone gives hope, and teaches faith in God. 

Gladstone's Agnostic opponent, in the same Review, 
may have thought he was tearing down all religion, all 
hope in God, all religious contentment, consolation, and 
"faith cure" of evils; yet God was evidently using the 
great Agnostic to remove only the rubbish — away from 
a true Christian foundation, for Christolution to rise 
thereon. 

The past ignorance of mankind is an evil, a disadvan- 
tage which God did not decree. It may be a disadvantage 
to mankind that distance is one obstacle preventing us 
from communicating with other worlds, or knowing what 
is beyond telescopic view ; but the disadvantage was not 
the thing decreed of God. Distance must be met, must 
be dealt with. It is not possible for God to make planets 
without using distance. 

Yet, for our convenience, God did produce in the line 
of progress, Dr. Franklin, and then Prof. Morse, and then 



72 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Mr. Edison. Such men reach, as God designed, beyond 
the books of the past. 

The telegraph, therefore, came from the working of 
mind in Nature. Mind seems possible in Nature, because 
it has come to man. Even men of science were as much 
surprised by the telegraph, telephone and phonograph, as 
if some theological Edison were to show us to-day how 
God is related to science ; and show us some new evi- 
dences of spirit existence. 

Christolution may surprise many by showing that evil 
is from the natural obstacles in the road of evolution, 
and evolution the best plan possible, and that natural 
limitation of power not only accounts for "evil," accident 
and " crime," but makes all things consistent with God's 
love, goodness and wisdom, commanding scientific rever- 
ence for God and His sciences. 



CHAPTER V. 

NEW REASONING ON FUTURE LIFE, BEYOND THE 
AUTHORITY OF BOOKS. 

Christolution teaches that the mind of man is a 
spirit-body from God, mysteriously connected with our 
material bodies in our earthly life, and can live inde- 
pendent of the visible form hereafter. A few suggestive 
things are here offered that give faith in this teaching. 

Behold how Mind-in-Nature has provided the water-fowl 
with the very form and feet which its desire for the 
water had a right to expect ! Notice that with every 
created thing some great wisdom and goodness in the 
universe has followed the same rule, so that desire and 
need has been provided for, as far as possible, without 
disappointment ! 

Can any one think, then, that man's spiritual hope has 
not also been provided for? Is the universal instinct 
to know more of God a cruel exception to the rule — a 
disappointment — a failure ? 

Some men wonder why God has not revealed things 
clearer, but the Christolution view of progression and 
natural limitation of power explains this. There are 
some who think there is no mind when the visible body is 
dead; and no action of any spirit-mind when a "patient " 
has " fainted away ; " or when a man is apparently " un- 
conscious " from some injury, as a blow on the head. 



74 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

But, even the learned doctor cannot prove either of these 
conclusions ; and, all that the " restored " patients know 
about it, is, that they do not always remember that the 
mind had any action or thoughts. 

There are cases, however, when a person has been con- 
sidered unconscious, or even dead, for some days — sud- 
denly the mind moves the body once more, the patient 
returns to life and remembers that his mind was active 
and tells of a beautiful vision! In this "trance" the 
mind was acting as the spirit-body independent of the 
earthly body. There was even a temporary separation. 

Then, in " sickness" who has ever proven what 
" delirium " is ? Christolution now declares it to be only 
the confusion or absence of earthly memory. 

Then, again, if we consider our every-day experiences, 
we know that our minds do act, when, so to speak, we do 
not notice it ourselves, and act in ways which show that 
there is more about mind than medical science has yet 
understood. For we often read a whole line or para- 
graph while thinking of some other thing. Then we read 
the words over again, because the memory was not con- 
scious of what the mind was doing. We set our feet to 
walking and never think of the stepping, as we are 
talking at the same time, not even knowing how the 
mind is working our organs of speech — or feet either. 

It is evident our minds have powers, capabilities, 
possibilities and mysteries beyond what men and science 
have heretofore properly investigated. 

Who can say that there is not a kind of earthly life in 
our bodies with a degree of animal intelligence with 



NEW REASONING ON SPIRIT LIFE. 75 

which the spirit-form — the higher mind of reason and 
undeveloped faculties, is connected for the earth life? 
and that when the animal body sleeps or is favorable for 
clairvoyant conditions, the spirit-mind can manifest unu- 
sual powers? can become in a degree mediumistic with 
the God-Mind-in-Nature and with Spirit identities ? 

It is not difficult to believe that the mental or spiritual 
body occupies apparently the same space that our visible 
bodies do. For it is a mystery just as great, how elec- 
tricity occupies the solid wire and acts its invisible 
power ! 

Almost every person knows of some phenomena which 
prove the human mind to have powers under some condi- 
tions impossible to account for unless we admit independ- 
ent spiritual existence. 

The manifestations of intelligence in Nature generally, 
and especially in the creation of man, prove the existence 
of a Mind-in-Nature — a Christolution God. And the 
existence of Mind-in-Nature proves that our animal 
bodies are not a necessity to our minds in a future life. 

The belief of a God-Mind-in-Nature therefore helps us 
to believe that man, too, has a spiritual mind connected 
with his visible form, given by his Creator, and to 
remain an identity in the future. 

As we know mind is present in the human body of 
matter, it can be present in the universe of matter. 

The human mind, we may say, is in the body, but this 
should only mean that the atoms of the body are occu- 
pied by the spirit-form of mind. It does not mean that 
the brain or the hand of itself has any intelligence, for 



76 CHRISTOLTJTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

the brain and hand are useless the moment the mind has 
departed — then it is matter subject only to the laws by 
which God further uses it. 

The atoms of matter composing the hand are moved 
by the mind. It is evident that the mind either moves 
the hand by direct? connection with the atoms of matter, 
or, by some medium (as electricity) which is not the 
hand, but is like a mesmeric mediumship, or perhaps 
something not yet revealed. 

In one of these two ways, directly or indirectly, mind 
acts upon matter and by laws which God finds possible. 

We have modern evidences of a religious mind-power 
increasing the powers known to mere "mental science" 
to heal the sick ; as set forth in Chapters XIII. and 
XIV. of this book, and as Christ taught His followers 
(Matt, x: 1). 

This power does not belong to creeds, doctrines and 
theories of any sect exclusively ; but to all those who 
follow the practical teachings of Christ, loving to do 
good, and having suitable understanding and faith. 

Matter under the power of God becomes visible, or 
invisible ; but is always in existence as material and tool 
for God's uses. 

The death of man means the permanent separation of 
his spirit-form from his material body ; and the decay of 
any visible substance is its change in returning back 
toward primeval chaos. Though it may be turned to 
other uses in the plan of God. 

Man's creation into a visible body, or the creation of 
the world, or any other thing, and its removal or change 



"IS CRIME PERMITTED?" 77 

must, however, be done even by the Almighty, subject to 
the natural limitations of all power. 

Hence, we do not know that God can prevent a crime 
or an accident in any other way than by first raising 
man's understanding of things in ways observed by us, 
and ways unknown. 

Now, the natural limitation of power may be a reason 
why God has not given us in the present stage of prog- 
ress, more knowledge of our own minds and its future 
existence. Hence this lack of knowledge is nothing 
against the future life of our spiritual bodies nor the 
goodness of God nor His mighty powers observed by us. 



CHAPTER VI. 

WHERE AND WHAT IS DEITY, AND WHY MAN WAS 
NOT CREATED WISER AND BETTER. 

The reader may ask the extent, the full meaning, of 
an everywhere-present. Mind-in-Nature. 

Is God present, for instance, in a piece of rock, in a 
heathen idol, in the forms and substances of a volcano, 
and in the sun? 

Is He present in all these things in the same way that 
He is present with all His living creatures ? 

The full answer to all this is as far beyond man's 
present stage of evolution to comprehend, as it is beyond 
Science to tell us all things about life, or the mind in 
man controlling matter ; or how all things, from atoms to 
worlds, are controlled into order and uses ; or what or 
how is the connection between matter and thought in the 
material bodies of living things. 

We do not know what electricity is, nor how it moves, 
yet we give a name recognizing its work. 

Isaac Newton could not explain the force of gravita- 
tion, though he "discovered the law," but we do know 
something about its action. 

We notice some useful and beautiful thing that man 
has made, and we believe that thought has moved the 
material hands that produced it. 

When we see God's gift of beautiful flowers, we must 



REASON AND HYPNOTISM. 79 

likewise believe there is thought in Nature, though our 
mortal eyes have not seen the hand, or being, that 
brought forth such beauty. 

And we must believe that order could not so reign in 
the universe if the mind which made the flowers were 
not the ever-present Universal God of all other things. 

But is God present in every evil obstruction which 
comes in the way of faster progress ? 

The Christolution doctrine of natural limitation of 
power sufficiently answers this last question. 

We may say here, however, that God is there where 
progress seems delayed, with all possible power to 
restrain and to do good. 

And it will be noticed that no truth in science, or 
sense, or reason, offers any evidence against any position 
taken by Christolution Theology. 

The opposition will not come from self-evident or 
demonstrated truths, but from obscure creeds, records, 
bad reasoning and bigoted faith in set notions which for- 
bids free investigation. 

But progress, even under limitations of power, teaches 
man that God is no less present to use His power or to 
reveal truth, now, than He was in less enlightened ages; 
or even when Dorcas was healed by Peter. 

Christolution teaches men never to throw aside in 
health the use of their reason and senses, lest by such 
passiveness they become hypnotized into some error, as 
some mothers, against natural affection, and every prin- 
ciple of justice and goodness, have been piously hypno- 
tized into believing the doctrine of " infant damnation." 



80 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

In the teachings of any one we must use reason and 
good sense against accepting a plain bad principle or 
absurd meanings, under a pretense to the imagination 
that it is deep spiritual meaning. We may properly use 
reason to gain a better view of God and His omni- 
presence. 

Is God present with the atoms of primeval chaos, and 
with the atoms of a solid piece of iron; and is God there 
in the same sense that He is present with man's body 
and mind? 

It is evident that Deity is a spirit-something; and we 
may say, in human ideas, that Deity, by His presence or 
power, fills all space without the literal meaning that any 
part of the God-mind is actually in a piece of iron, or in 
any other thing which has been produced from chaotic 
atoms of matter. 

It must be, however, that God-mind reaches every 
atom of all matter, either by direct contact, or by mind 
acting through some medium. 

We may reasonably teach, also, that Deity has given 
some spirit atoms from His boundless immensity to be 
united with the visible human body as the spirit body, 
and that such union is the beginning of man's existence. 

In this we see how man's relation to God is above 
mere material things, and how, in a scientific sense, St. 
Paul could speak of men as "Sons of God" (Rom. viii). 

But let us deal a moment with analogies which may 
help the answer. 

Something appears to be designing useful and beau- 
tiful things, and keeping order in the universe. To do 



PRESENCE OF MIND-IN-NATURE. 81 

this the intelligence and the power evidently must reach 
directly or indirectly every atom of the universe. 

The apparent evils and imperfect and undesirable 
things which exist in the road of progress, and which, so 
far as we know, are being overcome, is no evidence 
against the existence there of the intelligent power de- 
scribed by Christolution, as Mind-in-Nature ; and no 
evidence against the ability of that power to be present 
in some ways everywhere for restraint, use and order, 
though under natural limitation. 

It may be said, reasonably, that God can better influ- 
ence the man of wisdom and understanding, than one 
who dare not use his senses and reason to correct theo- 
logical errors. 

It is most reasonable to suppose that all the intelli- 
gence observed in the action of living things, including 
mankind, is from Mind-in-Nature working out progressive 
possibilities ; and restricting dangers and evils unknown 
to man, but known to Deity. 

The God-mind is none the less Deity in working out 
the beautiful possibilities through the budding flowers, or 
some purposes unknown to man, than He is in working 
out higher possibilities for good plainly observed by all 
men. 

The sweet, beautiful flowers are only the design of 
another kind coming forth from the Great Designer and 
Controller in Nature. 

But if man is of God, why is he not more perfect in 
his wisdom and actions? 



82 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Orthodoxy cannot answer this, but Christolution has 
answered by correcting the doctrine of "Omnipotence." 

Under the true doctrine of natural limitation it is not 
possible for God to unite mind and matter in the creation 
of individualities in any living creature on any better 
plan than evolution or progress, just as observation is 
revealing God's work and truths. 

In speaking of God we mean the sum of all intelli- 
gence and all intelligent power in all things of the whole 
universe. 

We must not take the figurative sense of a personal 
God of human size and form, sitting upon a throne as a 
personal sovereign. God fills endless space. 

With this God there can be no escape from the evils, 
pains and sufferings of a low and ignorant course, except 
through progressive knowledge and nobler life. 

As men do not differ in scientific truths, so these 
Christolution truths command agreement and respect 
because they appeal to the understanding, and permit the 
records and meaning of ancient prophets and other un- 
known men to be corrected as the ever-present Mind 
advances His work. 



CHAPTER VII. 

TRUER VIEWS OF PUNISHMENT. — SOME FALSE IDEAS 

ABOUT FREE WILL CORRECTED. GOD AND THE 

SAVAGES. 

The time has come when teaching a true view of 
God's punishment must have a better effect to restrain 
mankind from evil living than the old orthodox interpre- 
tations. For that cruel principle of punishment which 
cannot be believed, is not regarded nor feared, and does 
not restrain. 

And the truth is dawning that neither forgiveness, nor 
the power of God, can free a bad life from its unhappy 
consequences on any other plan than the evolution which 
history and science declare God is working. 

Progress means time. Discipline and education mean 
time. It takes time to escape from the prison of ignor- 
ance and reach the freedom of heavenly safety. 

We observe that God is taking just this course. 

The Bible must be construed to justify God's observed 
plan here without contradicting His principles of action 
hereafter. 

The Christolution view of punishment is one that can 
be believed as society advances in thought and education, 
while the absurd principles of Orthodox punishment and 
escape are so much denounced by leading minds, and so 
doubted in the private judgments of all intelligent peo- 



84 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

pie, that only very few are really frightened or restrained 
by, or can believe, the old interpretations. 

Christolution interpretation of God's punishment and 
man's escape teaches this : 

"That doing right, and ceasing to do evil," will, in 
timely stages of progression, "work out salvation" from 
the terrible evils and sufferings which surely come to evil- 
doers both here and hereafter in spite of creed, belief, 
opinion or priest. 

Eternal punishment, if it were decreed, chosen or pre- 
pared for any beings, would be unjustifiable : 

First. Because it would not restore the love or loyalty 
of God's weak-minded children, and would not bring 
justice toward any injured party in any other way than 
to satisfy the Orthodox or Jewish or Heathen idea of the 
"wrath of God." 

Second. Because God is the author of the plan of all 
things which has brought about the existence and the 
kind of being His child is at any moment of unwise 
action. 

Third. No being (not even God) ever at any moment 
possesses that kind of "free will" which can act out or 
determine a thought or thing contrary to the capacity, 
quality, and condition, of its mind at any moment of 
action. 

The result is produced by the causes. 

The kind of mind which God possesses cannot prefer 
or choose a wrong or unwise course. 

On the same principle a defective or ignorant mind 
must have the cause of its choosing* in its own mental 



ON "FREE WILL" AND " PUNISHMENT." 85 

condition, in each and every moment of its identity, 
whenever it has willed either wisely or unwisely. 

This principle, acting at all times as it must, leaves 
not one moment for God to blame His creatures, His own 
creation; and leaves only that punishment justifiable 
which is for the good of society or the child punished ; or, 
is a natural " punishment," a result which is not God's 
infliction, but the unavoidable sufferings which come, 
sooner or later, upon creatures taking an unwise course, 
before God, under natural limitations, can bring His 
children to perfection in a higher stage of evolution. 

A belief, or any mental condition or weakness in reas- 
oning, that leads to dishonesty or cruelty, or to any 
wrong, is a misfortune brought about by the qualities of 
the parents, and many circumstances. Such minds meet 
mental and physical sufferings, and deserve pity and wise 
treatment for restraint and reform; never deserve blame, 
anger, nor any decreed torture by eternal damnation 
which restores nothing to justice, nothing to any injured 
party, and relates only to an illogical wrath against some 
creature born in a lower stage of progress, and who, 
under other circumstances, would have been the judge 
instead of the " criminal." 

It is mental weakness, anger, hatred, vengeance, 
cruelty, selfishness — not a comprehension of the problem 
— that puts blame upon a defective mind or body which 
God started in His progressive plan. 

We are reaching better definitions of ancient words, 
making more allowance for changes in ideas and language. 

Take malice, avarice, selfishness and bad reasoning out 



86 CHRISTOLUTIOX WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

of the word blame, and it simply refers to the ignorance 
or weakness of the creature which God's plan produced, 
but which weakness is accounted for in this book. 

God is constantly using wisdom and power for good. 
No better way than the plan of progress was possible. 
Hence, mankind, as evolution and science tells us, has 
been a savage before he could reach a higher life. 

This was not the fault of the savage, as he neither 
made himself, nor the kind of mind which drove his body 
at times to cruel deeds. 

Nor was the imperfection at this stage of man's prog- 
ress a fault in God's goodness. 

We know that the consequences of living that savage 
life, while in that stage of the progress, are the inevitable 
evils, pains and sufferings, which come from ignorance 
and selfish cruelties ; yet God did not order the pains as 
punishments deserved : He has been able to give much 
comfort and pleasure even to that life, until he could 
raise such savages to a higher life. 

So-called Orthodox Theology teaches that an angry 
God decreed all such temporary evils as a consequence of 
Adam's fall, and an eternal punishment for most of the 
creatures produced as aforesaid. 

Yes, even worse. Orthodoxy teaches that God had 
the ''unlimited power" to have made these savages better 
beings; but, "did not see fit to do so; " became "angry" 
at His own work, His own decrees, and then "decreed 
the pains and evils as punishment." 

But, Christolution claims that the savages were made, 
or brought to that stage of progress, as good as possible ; 



GOD AND THE SAVAGES. 87 

and that the pains and evils which seemed to the old 
theologians, or a childish age, an infliction of Old Testa- 
ment "punishment," were only the undesired conse- 
quences of God's work at that stage of the progress. 

"Reward" from God to His creatures is but the suc- 
cess in God's plan; the real truth is that God neither 
blames nor rewards His own work ! But the old meaning 
of rewards and punishment was all that uneducated 
people could comprehend. 

The only escape from the consequences of a selfish, 
unwise course is to believe in and strive to live the higher 
life of Christ, not in notions, opinions, beliefs about bap- 
tism and the Trinity. 

In God the attributes of supreme wisdom and power 
are themselves inconsistent with cruelty or any evil-doing. 

Cruelty, even among men, indicates cowardice or 
ignorance. 

It is the savage, not the philosopher, who tortures or 
punishes for revenge, and when too late to accomplish 
any good object by doing so. Hence it is logically evi- 
dent that God's power is directed by Supreme Love as 
well as wisdom. 

Therefore, even if man were responsible for creating 
his own nature and bringing evil upon himself in this 
world, neither wisdom nor love could dictate a cruel pun- 
ishment at a time too late for any good. And such 
weakness and folly in man would deserve the pity of a 
wiser being. 

It is clear that the Orthodox doctrines charge God 
with infinite torture of souls for revenge; because for- 



88 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

giveness and reformation both are denied to the victim 
forever, and he is not allowed to cease to live. 

Is it egotism, or sad humiliation, for me to write 
Christolution to correct such principles to which I was 
educated in a Baptist church when such interpretations 
by Calvin were taught and learned — that "man was so 
born he could not do any good thing, yet that that was 
no excuse" — against Orthodox punishment? 

(See "Life and Times of Calvin," page 72.) 



CHAPTER VIII. 

THE WILL AND ITS RELATION TO OTHER QUESTIONS 
FURTHER DISCUSSED. 

Christolution has no use for the terms "Free Will," 
"Just Retribution" and "God's Anger," any more than 
for "unlimited power." Such terms were proper for the 
"understanding" of past ages, not the present. 

Common observation now, as well as evolution, proves 
man to be the creature of causes and the production, as 
we hope, of Mind-in-Nature, who uses all possible power 
to bring man by evolution to higher perfection of mind 
and body. 

We cannot say that the grade of savage life is free in 
choice to live the next higher grade — until it reaches it. 

The pains and evils which come upon such savages, 
come from their condition; a condition to which God has 
raised them ; and their sufferings here and hereafter have 
nothing to do with the idea of the old theology or "just 
retribution" or " the icrath of God" 

Every living thing acts like the creature it is. It has 
no "free will" to act like the thing it is not. Calvin 
himself taught that man was so born that he could not 
do any good thing. 

But Christolution teaches that man will do just as 
good, or just as foolish things as the condition and quality 
of his mind and body are adapted to choose to do, or to 



90 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

will at the moment of action ; and that he is not free to 
act otherwise. 

There is a sense in which men are free; the man who 
is not restrained by physical force is free to do what he 
wills; but even that man is not free to do what, as he 
views things, he does not see fit to do. 

But "free will," as Orthodoxy teaches it, means the 
power to do things contrary to the thing preferred in any 
moment of action. 

Moral sense will restrain some kinds of men, but not 
all men in moments when they do not realize the conse- 
quences of their acts. But that overpowering restraint 
is not freedom ! Fear sometimes forces choice. 

It is always something just strong enough that controls 
the will. 

There are men whose minds are in a condition and of 
a grade which makes them prefer to steal. The honest 
man says, under the old Orthodox reasoning, that he, too, 
could steal, if he had a mind to ! 

But Christolution has reached an evolution in reason 
when it can perceive that the honest man is not free to 
steal, for that very reason, that he has not a mind 
capable of doing so. 

IF a mechanic have tools, he can of course work with 
them, not if he have none. 

If any certain mind has not yet reached the honest 
grade firmly, why shall God be angry over that stage of 
evolution? Or why should Orthodoxy teach that pun- 
ishment is inflicted as a "just retribution" by the 
Creator? "Justice" certainly could not demand pain 



NEW REASONING ON FREE WILL. 91 

for hereditary or created defectiveness, inability or mis- 
fortune ; reason and goodness would forbid it. Intelligent 
men do not believe it! 

Christolution morality restrains in pity ; Orthodoxy in 
" anger," " deserved wrath," " blame," "just retribution," 
etc., etc. 

There can be no cause of " anger" or " blame" to man 
or God when seeing the true relation of things as set 
forth by Christolution. 

The absurdity of punishing men revengefully, or as a 
so-called "just retribution," using the words "blame," 
"moral responsibility," "free agency " and "free will" 
when referring to God's dealings with His creatures, will 
appear when we consider that God Himself is not free to 
act unlike Himself. 

Goodness in God cannot have any desire to be cruel or 
unjust ; hence, cannot have the mental power to so decide. 

The Bible declares this Christolution principle where it 
says "God cannot lie!" This also illustrates that God 
has not the power to do all things — that His power is 
limited even by goodness. This is a natural limitation 
of power. 

Calvinistic Orthodoxy asserts that "man is so born he 
cannot do any good thing," but Calvinism and Orthodoxy 
are without a consistent system to go with the principle. 

To show the will is free, it must be proven that the 
man had mental power to choose to do the very thing he 
did not, at any certain moment, decide to do, instead of 
doing the thing he actually did at that moment, and on 
the whole preferred to do. 



92 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

If the "same" mind chooses to do right one day, and 
exactly opposite the next, this does not tend to show the 
will is free : 

The very supposition contains a sophism, an error; for 
the same mind one year or one day is not the same mind 
exactly, the next day. 

We might as well say a man has the same mind or 
body to-day that he had in his boyhood. 

If it were possible for every condition of body or mind 
and every amount of experience to exist one day that 
existed the day before, then the action of the mind would 
be the same as to its decisions; provided, also, that the 
same external influences were to exist on both days. 

The slightest thing is capable of turning attention. 
The next moment after action the mind may perceive 
what it did not see or appreciate the moment before. 

The principle and the argument is the same whether 
there be one year or one moment for changing the con- 
ditions and experiences of any mind. 

When it is a moment of fright or deception, the cause 
of choice is seen to be adequate ; and there are few 
reasoners who call the mind free then to do a thing which 
it did not do. 

It is evident there is never a single moment for the 
mind's action free from the principles of these arguments. 

When decision has passed we know that the internal 
state of the mind and the perception, added to the exter- 
nal influences, were adequate to produce the choice made, 
— not adequate for a choice not made. 

It is accepted knowledge that decisions are made for 



THE PHILOSOPHER AND THE FOOL. 93 

cause. It is common to inquire the motive for any crime. 
But, whatever we think we know of causes against any 
choice made, it is certain the choice not made can not 
find a single instance to show it could have been made at 
the instant of decision. 

This argument, of course, prevents a philosopher from 
blaming a fool for his folly. 

And it robs Orthodoxy of the right to charge God 
with anger; and of the useless right to eternal torture, 
which forbids reform to the unfortunate being who dies 
before God has advanced him to wisdom and goodness. 

But it does not forbid penalties, discipline, nor educa- 
tion as a means of restraint, safety and reformation. 

Wisdom, pity, and power have the same right to re- 
strain and influence defective minds as if free will were 
a true doctrine. But not the right to curse, in modern 
meaning ! 

If wisdom and goodness give God no freedom to 
choose a wrong course, how can ignorance and imperfec- 
tion give man a free will — a power which God has not ? 

"What! Destroy responsibility? Where then the 
right to punish criminals? To execute penalties for 
broken laws? We would have no more right to punish 
anybody than we have to punish the insane for being 



insane 



T" 



It is common to hear such kind of exclamations from 
"free will" advocates. But that comparison about the 
insane spoils their whole argument, as to having no right 
to protect society by law and penalty. 

For insane people are rightly dealt with according to 



94 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

the badness of their doings. If they do very bad things, 
so as to be dangerous, they are put in straight-jackets 
and in rooms alone — imprisoned, incelled. 

If human language and thought were more philo- 
sophical, some preachers would not so easily lose their 
arguments in words warped and tainted by popular errors 
and in boomerangic comparisons. 

Christolution is intended to be true reasoning, true 
philosophy, and its probabilities beyond positive knowl- 
edge are intended to be consistent with the rest of its 
arguments and teachings. 

It is obliged to use many words, however, to which the 
reader is expected to give a meaning consistent with the 
teachings in this book, and logically restricted from their 
popular meaning even as given in the dictionary; for 
example : 

Christolution must either throw aside the word " Om- 
nipotence" or give a new definition, defining it as in this 
book already used and explained, power unlimited as to 
the extent of its action in space, but limited power as 
to possibilities. 

So the new definition for "free will" at best can only 
be, that each mind is free to do, or to think, those things 
which its nature, ability and capacity lead it to think ; 
but not free for other decisions, or to take hold of other 
thoughts, and, is forced to decisions by influences 

SEEMING TO ITSELF, AT THE MOMENT OF ACTION, 
STRONGEST, SUFFICIENT OR PREFERABLE. 

So far, then, as the dictionary, or custom, colors a word 
against truth and true reasoning, we, the reader and I 
both, must be on guard. For example, again : 



SAVAGES — AND OTHER PEOPLE. 95 

The word " responsibility " should not mean that a 
savage is responsible in a blameworthy sense for a wrong 
belief, or for actions which such belief leads him to do, 
or which any causes have led him to do ; he being such 
a kind of creature as he is, and as causes have produced. 
We must not, therefore, allow the word " responsible " to 
be colored by the old idea of " Freedom of the Will," 
when a savage does not lead a higher life than savages 
choose. Yet, even a Christolution society would hold it 
proper to protect itself against savages or anybody else, 
by severe painful penalties if necessary. Such meaning 
should be given the word when we say that men are 
" responsible." This meaning, however, does not justify 
or include vengeance nor blame. 

So, true responsibility means that one must meet neces- 
sary discipline, and inevitable results in this world and 
hereafter, whether forgiven or not ! ! * 

Some insane people have reason enough to dread the 
penalty or punishment for breaking laws or rules. The 
fear forces that preference in the mind which the old 
theology has improperly treated and called free choice — 
free will. 

Philosophy would not punish people for being insane, 

or being thieves or murderers, but to prevent the evils 

they do, and to make them better when possible for 

themselves. 

* Here is suggested a new field of thought, which, perhaps, in another 
volume of Christolution, or in some man's progressive sermon, will be 
made plainly consistent with the Bible teachings, where it speaks of " the 
third heavens," and "one star differing from another in glory," and of 
degrees of "punishments" (results) "according to deeds done," etc.; 
forcing old errors into new views of punishment, instead of "anger" and 
"a lake of fire." 



CHAPTEE IX. 

GENERAL REMARKS. TRUTHS. PRINCIPLES AND 

PUNISHMENT. 

Christolution calls every "truth" which is for good, 
and which can stand the test of modern light and God's 
observed plan of progress, " the Word of God." 

This age has superseded the Convention of Nice. Pro- 
gress has a God-given right to select and define and 
discover truths in any age of the world. Not at Nice 
alone ! 

At last theology and a Christian religion is defended 
by correcting "Orthodox" errors, through reason and 
science ; and the skeptic is answered now by Christolution. 

The Agnostic who has admitted all that Christolution 
perceives in the apparent working of Mind-in-N ature, 
can make no consistent denial of Deity as Christolution 
explains God in Nature. 

Whether the Agnostic believes that God or Nature is 
the right name of the power and intelligence manifest in 
Nature, it is of little moment, for he must see by all he 
observes of good and evil, that none reach the higher life 
of happiness for themselves, or can escape evil, or can 
give mental healing, and love to others, equal to the true 
followers of the unselfish Teacher in Palestine, and the 
believers in a Christolution God. 

And the Christian finds no wisdom, power, or good- 
ness, denied, by Christolution, which any Protestant, or 



HINTS AGAINST FALSE REASONING. 97 

Catholic, has ever known God to exercise in favor of His 
creatures. 

Let an Agnostic begin to live the Christolution Rules 
of Life (Chapter XI), and neither God nor any true 
Christ follower will ever desire to shut him out of happi- 
ness for whatever wrong name may be given to such a 
man by mere men in any pulpit. 

Such an Agnostic will reach higher life at last, and it 
is irreverent to say that God wants to stop any reforma- 
tion and progress at any time (Mark ix: 38-40). 

When parents, or any governments, inflict a painful 
punishment it should be to produce some good effect, 
which effect it does not appear can be accomplished 
without pain. 

Men are justifiable in administering painful or dreaded 
penalties, so long as they have not wisdom or power to 
restrain the vicious and the ignorant in better ways 
under the principle of love and justice. 

God under evolutionary powers is bringing mankind 
toward that higher life when greater success in mental 
healing will be reached, and men and children will be 
restrained from evil in wiser ways. 

The wiser education and culture of the young will 
sometime prevent the necessity of cruel or disagreeable 
punishments. 

We have reached the time in evolution when truth and 
good morals, and the principles of justice, do not come to 
our convictions on the mere dictation of unknown men. 

Christolution has shown how words, by false reasoning, 



98 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

have been warped into wrong meanings, as if to confuse 
the preacher and his hearers. 

It is time to see that the word "justice" as between 
the one injured and the offender, or between God and the 
"sinner," has nothing to do with the true principles for 
which any painful penalty can be used ; unless Orthodoxy 
can prove that hatred, anger, malice and revenge, in God 
and man have a right to be " satisfied"! 

Revengeful satisfaction can not be regarded as a debt 
or payment due. It answers no justice because it restores 
nothing. Hatred and malice must not be cultivated by 
giving it satisfaction. An infliction of torture with no 
object in view but the punishment itself, is mockery 
against goodness and God ! 

Punishment is right, not on the ground of justice, but 
necessity. The necessity is to restrain through fear those 
who have not a higher understanding to govern them- 
selves. We kill the serpent and the murderer, not for 
justice but safety. 

It is a bad policy, even if a death penalty be right, to 
advocate and publish electrocution as a painless entrance 
into the next existence ; because it tends in a degree to 
defeat the true object of punishment. For death, or 
painless death, is not the true object — safety is the 
object. 

It is equally bad theology, and bad religion, to teach 
that this same murderer can in this painless way, or in 
any other way, pass instantly into glory, without regard 
to his past life and low status here. 



PERHAPS AN INNOCENT "THIEF." 99 

Evolution teaches no such experiences; Christolution 
cannot teach it ; progress does not mean it. 

We do not know the past life of that so-called thief 
who was crucified with Christ. He may have broken a 
bad law or custom, and may have been condemned inno- 
cently of all real wrong, as Christ was ; so that Christ 
could have said he would that day be with Him in pro- 
gressive glory. 

But truth and righteous principles can never be in 
danger so long as the Christolution teaching as to the 
meaning of human language, shall be observed. No 
Scripture, no figure of speech, no parable, no ancient 
method of teaching, is true, moral teaching, if it contra- 
dict any other good and true teachings of the same 
authority, or any known truth or principle. 

Has it ever occurred to the reader that perhaps that 
thief took his own property in a way the law defined to 
be stealing, and that this was all he confessed, and had 
really done no injustice? Thus different meanings make 
us careful, and not too positive of Bible meaning. 

What we know to be right and true in this age, we 
cannot deny even if Moses or St. Paul must be corrected, 
mistaken or misunderstood. 

Our Protestant ministers have no more right to dictate 
absurdities than our Catholic brethren who kept the 
records for them so long. 

The truths which progress brings to us, and which 
demonstrate themselves to the reason which God gave 
us, is the "revelation" which God designed for us in 
this age. 



CHAPTER X. 

THE GOD-MIND IN THE UNIVERSE OF ATOMS. AND 

IN EVOLUTION. 

We use the word atoms, whether in primeval chaos or 
in created things, to mean a division of matter finer than 
any particles which man has ever examined. 

The smallest particle which a chemist can find by 
analyzation is made up of atoms ; which particle is there- 
fore a combination. This the chemist may give a name 
to, and talk of its qualities ; as of a germ, a bacillus, a 
protoplasm or a speck of iron. 

But in what do atoms differ? What force brings them 
together? What set produces Darwin's protoplasm? 
What is that which created chaotic atoms into systems of 
planets, and delivers light and heat to us every morning, 
at all stations on time to a second, going at the rate of a 
thousand miles an hour? How many kinds of atoms, 
and forces, and attractions, may there be, which are sub- 
ject to that mighty Power which brings them all to order? 

These are questions which Agnostic science does not 
answer ! 

If Darwin, Spencer, and Huxley, believe that atoms, 
protoplasms, and forces, are not under any influence of a 
Mind-in-Nature, they may, to some people at first, seem 
right until the fact is considered that organized atoms 



DARWIN, BUDDHA AND CICERO. 101 

finally reach some useful, beautiful, important, evolution- 
ary stage. 

Then it begins to seem there was a planning force at 
work from the beginning. 

For the results evidently prove it, not alone in single 
individualities, but in the way each creation is adapted 
to some other design. 

And because even for himself the Agnostic finds 
nothing to disprove a God. 

And finally because Christolution in all its theory and 
argument, finds its view of God consistent with reason, 
and science, and all truth. 

Christolution explains principles which prove a natural 
limitation of power, but teaches that every atom, and the 
source of every force and attraction, are under a mighty 
power which works with Infinite Wisdom and Goodness. 

Now, if Darwin really means that two atoms come 
together, forming another thing which goes around hunt- 
ing for its mate by some wise " natural selection," and 
that these little individuals sometimes meet natural ob- 
stacles, so that God's plan is the " survival of the fittest," 
then this argues that there is a Christolution God-Mind- 
in-Nature, and that this book may bring all wise men 
together. 

How many kinds of creatures and things God saw 
possible and wise to start with in our world is not known. 

Nor is it necessary for an evolutionist to believe, as 
Buddha wrote in the sacred books of Asia — 

That the human soul has ever transmigrated from an 
elephant to a man ; even though Darwin has noticed that 



102 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

the hind legs of that animal can kneel as a man does ; 
nor that our ancestors were either horses or apes. 

For it is more reasonable to believe that each species 
was evolved from different beginnings. 

No individual mind, though it have an inward sense of 
its own life, can offer to others any better evidence of its 
existence, or its designing and controlling power, than is 
offered by the Mind-in-Nature to us that it also liveth. 

And if man's little mind, first born out of the Great 
Spirit into our race, or into each individual, is conscious 
of existence, shall the child deny the conscious existence 
of its own father, the Father of mankind ? 

Does man deny the power of his mind to control the 
matter of his own body, and to do more than science can 
explain, simply because his mind power has limitations ? 

No, verily, no. 

Why, then, doubt the existence of a God-mind because 
evil, through natural limitations of power, maketh a tem- 
porary appearance in the world of matter and thought? 

With no Bible, no learning, not even a written lan- 
guage, the Indians of this country knew something of the 
Great Spirit in nature by His visible works. 

And by the same revelations, above all book authority, 
the greatest of Roman orators said : " What can be 
more arrogant and unbecoming than for a man to think 
that he has a mind and understanding in him, yet in the 
Universe besides is no such thing; or that those things 
which, with the utmost stretch of his reason, he can 
scarce comprehend should be moved and managed without 
any reason at all?" 



"THE GREAT SPIRIT." 103 

Assuredly, no man who giveth time for thought can 
fail to believe and reverence the true God, who worketh 
all the good that has come and will come to those who 
seek Him with progressive understandings — which seek- 
ing is itself one form of true worship. 



CHAPTEE XL 

THE EIGHTEEN RULES OF LIFE IN CHRISTOLUTION. 

Rule I. 

Thou shalt worship God in the love of all truth and 
true reasoning, and in reasonable ways and meditations 
seek to bring the mind into harmony with God — with His 
goodness, power and progressive work, especially by 
doing good to all thy neighbors ; and even unto thy ene- 
mies, and by doing no injury to the person or mind or 
feelings, or reputation of any one. 

For they have neither wit nor worship who deny the 
power of Mind-in-Nature and disturbeth the conditions 
of progress, peace, harmony and heaven. 

Rule II. 

If by thy own lack of wisdom, or by accident or other- 
wise, thou shalt make a fool angry, thou shalt discreetly 
seek to cool his wrath. 

For it is the mark of another fool to add fuel to a 
dangerous fire. 

Rule III. 

If by misunderstanding, two persons have a difference 
to settle, they shall each carefully listen to the other, and 
if they cannot then agree, each shall explain privately to 
a friend, and the two friends shall then privately attempt 



THE RULES OF LIFE. 105 

to bring the parties to a just agreement or compromise, 
before the principals shall be honored in appealing to any 
court of law. 

For it is unsafe and unprofitable, as well as un- 
christian, to waste time and money at law. 

Rule IV. 

Thou shalt avoid fretful and angry words and suspi- 
cious and jealous ways, wrong conclusions and rude 
actions toward any one, especially to every one of thine 
own household, and finally toward thine enemy, if mis- 
fortune has caused thee to have one. 

For thy wisdom and education shall be reputed better 
than another's, only if thou succeedest better in such 
management of thyself. 

Rule V. 

The greater the provocation, the more honorable shalt 
thou be if thou hast conducted thyself wisely ; but if an 
enemy assault thee, or thy friend with thee, attempting 
to do personal harm, thou mayest use suitable means to 
prevent injury. 

For it is wise to protect ourselves against savage people 
or dangerous animals. 

Rule VI. 

Do not use low or bad words, nor talk in a loud or 
boisterous tone of voice, but rather seek to win the 
respect of the wise and the good, so that they may see 
signs in your manner and conversation of good sense, due 
self-respect, and due regard to the feelings of every one. 



106 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

For such habits of refinement will make thee not 
ashamed of thyself, and will bring thee into favor and 
profit. 

Eule VII. 

Be honest, honorable, just and kind, and pay all thou 
owest, both in favor and money. 

For thou wilt be happier thyself, and if ever in need 
can find employment, credit and friends. 

Eule VIII. 

Put nothing into thy own stomach to please a friend ; 
and neither give nor accept invitations at a public inn, 
bar, or saloon, to drink intoxicating liquors. 

For no one has any right to tempt a friend to an evil 
so universally seen, and acknowledged, among Christian 
nations ; and despised among Mohammedans ! 

Eule IX. 

Thou shalt not say or report anything to the injury of 
another, not even the truth, unless as a necessary warn- 
ing, and not then unless the opportunity has been wisely 
taken to know the warning is justifiable, and not mere 
news or gossip, after the fashion of uneducated and 
malicious back-biters and slanderers. 

For gossip and suspicion createth evil of itself. 

Eule X. 

The public deportment of good and true men, and their 
dealings, conversation, and manners, will be such as to 
prevent reasonable suspicion of all intentions of disre- 



THE RULES OF LIFE. 107 

garding the laws, or the respected customs of society, in 
the place of their sojourning. 

For until men and women are good and wise even the 
appearance of evil, harm, and danger, should be avoided 
except when duty calls you. 

Eule XI. 

Besides obedience to all good, public, and general rules, 
all persons of discretion and good report, will govern 
themselves by that understanding which cometh from 
experience, observation, and knowledge, which keepeth 
themselves and others safely and reasonably free from 
danger to their good reputations. 

For it is wisdom to learn safety as well as right. 

Eule XII. 

Dare to do right and be cheerful and happy; and 
kindly aid, cheer and visit the unfortunate, even in their 
disgrace. 

For a heart of kindness is a heaven of itself ; but fear 
in pride and caste is torture and bondage. 

Eule XIII. 

If thou wouldst correct any fault of thy wife or hus- 
band, or child or friend, or wouldst apologize or explain 
to any one wrongly or rightly understanding thee, seek to 
do so in mild, slow and careful expression, and do not at 
that time discuss or allude to other matters ; and if thou 
seest this course impossible, defer the subject and turn to 
a pleasanter conversation. 



108 CHRISTOLUTIOX WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

For it is a misfortune of thine, if thou hast not learned 
to make one thing clear before being led into additional 
confusion after the fashion of narrow minds or scolding 
people. 

Rule XIV. 

To keep the mind in condition for health, or being 
healed, or for cheering and healing others mentally and 
physically, do those things which God shows you to be 
advisable by careful observation and experience ; and 
avoid useless cares, thoughts, words and things which it 
is equally plain bringeth neither pleasure, health nor 
profit. 

For it will pay thee and thy friends with thee always 
to act considerately even in play and amusement. 

Rule XV. 

Rely on Faith, Patience, Temperance, Contentment, 
Good Thoughts, Cheerfulness, Determination, Action, 
Exercise, Sunlight, Warmth, Food, Water, Air, Friend- 
ship, Love, and the Power of God made possible among 
those who " think on these things." 

For all this is wisdom. 

Rule XVI. 

Dwell upon no subject too long at one time, and say 
clearly what thou meanest ; take some time for study ; 
some for amusement : some for work ; do not overtax the 
mind or body, but learn activity and the need for bodily 
exercise ; believe not in whims or signs. 



THE RULES OF LIFE. 109 

For thou wilt see the need of all this lesson among 
those who never learned it. 

Eule XVII. 

It was taught in the time of Moses, " Thou shalt not 
kill." And the sacred books of Buddha teach that " Man 
shall not kill anything God hath given life to, not even 
a fly or a serpent ; " but Christolution here explaineth : 
Thou shalt not kill nor hurt man nor beast nor bird nor 
any living thing, except when justifiable by the best 
wisdom and goodness of the period in progress to which 
God hath brought thee. 

For the man who hath aforetime taken his gun to kill 
harmless animals for mere pleasure, or who ill-treated a 
horse, had not well considered his action. 

Eule XVITI. 

It hath been the custom heretofore, in preparing for 
the certainty of death, to forget the neighbor in wills that 
often gave more than was needed to one's own name, 
sometimes millions leading to care or luxurious evils ; 
but here beginneth a new rule: Let every Christolu- 
tionist, rich or in moderate means, give in his will, 
besides for public charities, some substantial bequests 
according to means, upon one or many temperate, good 
and deserving persons selected outside of relatives. 

For this is wise and good and would encourage some in 
every neighborhood to study Christolution and practice 
these eighteen rules of life toward one another. 



CHAPTEK XII. 

GOD IN TRUTH AND PROGRESS. 

Away with fear, and fame, and craft, and gain ; 
Let reason to the throne ! we must explain 
Why errors come to man with what is true ; 
Man must not teach that God can all things do. 

Yet God can help His creatures now, the same 
As when men taught of Christ, with healing came ; 
"lis right to prove what means the book man reads 
And wonders what is safe in written creeds, 
And doubts the doctrine in his own when taught 
That infants went to burning hell and ought ! 

The good do ask (and should be taught to see) 
Can God do things from all conditions free ? 
'Tis well that progress finds, at last, a plan 
Which Christolution now makes plain to man. 
Times past, like human words, have been too weak 
For God in truer ways, great things to speak 
Without a greater danger to confuse 
Than by the modes and words men had to use. 
So heavenly things, above man's sphere, 
Were told in tongues of Hallelujahs here, 
And warnings told weak minds of burning hell 
For what conditions could not better tell. 
Yet God is teaching science and His love 
As fast as man can reach the Mind above ; 
He sent the Christ as well with early light 
And ages now are passing out of night ! 



CHAPTER XIII. 

WHAT IS CHRISTIAN HEALING? — A FEW REMARKABLE 
EXAMPLES FOR EXPLANATION. 

This chapter will relate a few marvelous cures, illus- 
trating the power of mind over matter, every detail of 
which is authentic. They belong to revelations fre- 
quently taking place, which have caused much careful 
study by medical men, as well as by liberal-minded Chris- 
tians. And many thoughtful people are beginning to 
correct some learned old errors. They begin to believe 
that the same laws and the same God can be reached in 
any age by the same goodness and conditions taught to 
the first disciples in Palestine. 

Example No. 1. 

how president garfield's pain was relieved. 

It is related authentically of Gen. Garfield that during 
the last days, after his assassination, the question of 
prayer and seeking aid from God's power came up. He 
had suffered much and had seemingly placed his reliance 
for relief or recovery entirely upon medical skill. But 
one day at the White House, as related by Dr. Powers, 
the suffering President told Mrs. Garfield how the night 
before, when from intense pain he was unable to sleep, he 
had prayed for relief from his agony. " At the moment 
I uttered that prayer," said Garfield, " my pain left me, 
I began to rest, and finally went to sleep." 



114 christolution with illustrations. 

Example No. 2. 
case of mrs. ainsley (protestant), niagara 

FALLS, N. Y. 

This " miraculous " incident was published in the 
Niagara Falls papers at the time (Aug., 1891). 

From an accident Mrs. Ainsley had become a cripple, 
and for more than a year had been unable to stand or 
walk a step. Physicians had certified that her injuries 
had made her permanently helpless. 

She was prevailed on to be carried to the Methodist 
Camp Meeting, then held at Niagara Falls, near her own 
residence, where, during the prayers of several friends for 
her recovery, she suddenly arose and walked. She was 
healed at once. An acquaintance of mine visited her 
some months later, and found her well and doing her own 
house-work. 

Later, Feb. 10, 1893— To-day I am told by Mrs. 
Leander Colt, of Niagara Falls, with whom I am ac- 
quainted, that Mrs. Ainsley remains in good health, and 
regards her sudden cure as a case of miraculous healing. 

Example No. 3. 
case of mdlle. coirin (catholic). 

Quotations from a late lecture by the noted French 
Medical Doctor and Scientist, J. M. Charcot, de l'ln- 
stitute. By permission, from the Buffalo Express of 
Jan. 1, 1893. 

" In the month of September, 1716, Mdlle. Coirin, who 



MENTAL CURES SUSTAINING CHRISTOLUTION. 115 

was then 31 years of age, had two falls from her horse in 
close succession. The second time she fell on the left 
side of her stomach, which came in contact with a heap 
of stones. The pain was so violent that she fainted 
away. 

" Six weeks later she began to vomit blood. This oc- 
curred at frequent intervals, and was attended with 
prostration. During one such prostration which attacked 
her three months after her accident, it was found, on 
arranging the bandages on her stomach, that her left 
breast was extremely hard, swollen, and violet in hue. 
The local doctor, Antoine Paysent, having been consulted, 
and having examined the breast, discovered that she had 
a large gland which stretched backward as far as the 
arm-pit. The doctor applied poultices, which drew out 
considerable of the blood without curing or even relieving 
her, for her breast was giving her great pain, and was 
daily becoming harder. * * * 

"Her disease was diagnosed as cancer. * * * In 
1720 two doctors proposed to amputate the breast, but 
Mdlle. Coirin's mother refused to permit an operation, 
since cancerous disease was declared incurable. * * * 

" I must add that in 1718 the invalid had been stricken 
suddenly during the night with paralysis, which deprived 
her of the use of the whole of her left side. After that 
time it was impossible for her to move her left hand or 
arm, which remained cold. She could not change her 
position except by using her right hand to move her left, 
or pushing the left leg with the right. Thus she remained 
until the night of August 11th or 12th, 1731. * * * 



116 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

The left leg was all drawn up backwards, and shriveled. 
It was white, dry and cold, even in the heat of summer. 

" On August 9, 1731, she commissioned a pious woman 
of Nanture to keep the nine days' vigil of prayer for her 
at the tomb of the blessed Francis of Paris, to touch the 
holy place with a shift she gave her, and to bring her 
some earth from the neighborhood of the tomb. On the 
following day, the 10th, the pious woman betook herself 
to St. Medard. 

" On the evening of the next day, August 11th, no 
sooner had the dying woman had the shift which had 
touched the precious tomb put on her, than she experi- 
enced the healing virtue, whose aid she had invoked. 
Although, owing to her paralyzed condition, she had been 
compelled to lie perpetually on her back, ' she turned her- 
self in bed unaided.' On the following day, the 12th, 
she hastened to apply the precious earth to her ' cancer ' 
with her own hands, and ' immediately she perceived with 
astonishment that the deep hole in her breast, whence had 
issued for twelve years past without ceasing a purulent 
discharge, was stanched on the spot and began to close 
and heal.' 

" The night following a fresh marvel was seen. The 
paralyzed limbs, which had been for so many years like 
the limbs of a corpse in their icy coldness, suddenly ob- 
tained fresh life. Her arm recovered life, warmth; move- 
ment ; her withered and dried-up leg was straightened 
and extended, the hollow in her hip was filled up and 
disappeared. 

" On that first day she got up unassisted ; she stood 



MENTAL CURES RELATED FOR EXPLANATION. 117 

erect on the foot of that leg which had so long been 
shorter than the other, she used the left arm with ease, 
and even dressed her hair with her own hands." * * * 

Dr. Charcot says : " I confess that only ten years ago 
the explanation of all this curious case would have pre- 
sented many difficulties. Well, to-day it has been proved 
beyond question, since more than twenty cases have been 
published analogous to that of Mdlle. Coirin, that mus- 
cular atrophy frequently accompanies hysterical paralysis 
and contraction of the limbs. * * * I do not speak," 
says Dr. Charcot, "without being able to call my own 
personal experience to witness. I have seen patients 
return from the shrines now in vogue, who have been sent 
thither with my consent, owing to my own inability to 
inspire the operation of the faith cure. I have examined 
the limbs affected with paralysis or contraction some days 
before, and have seen the gradual disappearance of the 
local sensitive spots after the cure of the actual disease." 

Dr. Charcot thinks that " with these persons, male or 
female, the influence of the mind over the body is strong 
enough to produce the cure which the lack of knowledge 
that prevailed not long ago, had regarded as incurable. 

" These cases," he continued, " show clearly that a cure 
obtained by faith, whether its supernatural power be 
granted or not, follows natural laws. 

" Can we then affirm that we can explain everything 
which claims to be of supernatural origin in the faith 
cure, and that the frontiers of the miraculous are visibly 
shrinking day by day before the march of scientific at- 



118 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

tainments ? Certainly not," confesses Dr. Charcot, adding 
that " Shakespeare's words hold good to-day : 

' There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, 
than are dreamt of in thy philosophy.' 

J. M. Charcot, de Flnstitute." 

Now, if cancers, and distorted and crippled limbs, are 
cured through good thoughts and faith in the goodness 
of a higher power, though heretofore little comprehended 
by name or definition, it is, evidently, because the con- 
ditions are thus reached, rendering it possible in the 
works of God. 

Christolution teaches that the God-Mind-in-Nature is 
part of Nature, and is the organizer of all things, bring- 
ing all laws into uses for all possible good ; hence, Dr. 
Charcot's claims about what are named " natural laws," 
and his confessed inability to explain away the " super- 
natural " claims are not unfavorable to Christolution. 

Example No. 4. 

case of miss carrie judd (protestant faith), 
buffalo, n. y. 

Condensed account from her excellent and truthful 
book. The circumstances of her cure being well known, 
also, to the author of Christolution. 

"In 1877, on the sixth day of January," says Miss 
Judd, " I was prostrated with an attack of fever, pro- 
ceeding from my spine ; the result, probably, of a fall 
several months before. 

" The fever was soon subdued, but my disease settled 



CHRISTIAN CURES IN BUFFALO. 119 

into a distressing spinal difficulty. * * * My hips, 
knees and ankles could not be touched even by myself, 
on account of their sensitiveness. * * * 

" For over two years I could not turn or move myself 
in bed. I suffered intensely in my head. For eleven 
months I could not sit up at all." * * * 

By the middle of February, 1879, she could scarcely 
speak in a whisper ; could take no solid food, and it 
greatly exhausted her to take liquid food ; she was not 
expected to live from one day to the next. 

At this time Miss Judd's mother read of wonderful 
cures in answer to prayers of Mrs. Edward Mix, a col- 
ored woman of Protestant faith, in Wolcottville, Conn. 

This colored woman was written to. From her reply 
of February 24, 1879, the following is quoted : 

"Miss Carrie Judd — I received a line from your 
sister Eva, stating your case, your disease, and your 
faith. * * * c According to your faith so be it unto 
you.' * * * fc The prayer of faith shall save the 
sick, and the Lord shall raise him up.' You will first 
have to lay aside all medicine. * * * I want you 
to pray * * * and then act faith. It makes no 
difference how you feel, get right out of bed and walk 
by faith." 

Miss Judd left off all medicine at once, and on Feb- 
ruary 26, 1879, at an hour which had been appointed 
by Mrs. Mix, Miss Judd and members of her family 
prayed. * * * 

" There was no excitement," says Miss Judd, " but 
without the least fear or hesitation I turned over and 
raised up alone, for the first time in two years. 



120 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

" Directly after, with a little support, I walked a few 
steps to my chair. A decided change was perceptible 
in my color, circulation and pulse, and I could talk 
aloud with ease." 

In three weeks Miss Judd could walk around the 
room with no one near her ; in four weeks she went down- 
stairs. She suffered nothing from aching or lameness, 
even after she began going up and down-stairs. 

Years passed, and Miss Judd was known to remain 
healthy and strong. 

The lady attendant who took Miss Judd's arm to give 
the little support referred to, was the late Mrs. R. S. 
Hambleton, a Christian of Protestant faith, with whom 
I was well acquainted, and who also related to me the 
above facts. Dr. R. S. Hambleton, m. d., her survivor, 
is a practicing physician in this city, Buffalo, N. Y. (1894). 

Example No. 5. 
case of rev. a. p. more (protestant). 

From Mr. More's letter, dated April 16, 1880, Alex- 
ander, N. Y., printed in Miss Judd's book, I make a 
short quotation : 

" I called two skillful physicians ; they both told my 
friends I must die. * * * 

" To all human appearance, I was in the last stages of 
consumption. As we were praying, I felt a sensation 
from my head down my spine * * * and I knew 
I was healed. In ten days I was at work in the office of 
The Christian and preached Sundays. From that day 



FIRST CURES BY THE AUTHOR. 121 

I have had no trouble with my lungs. I was healed 
October 26, 1876." 

He also wrote that his wife had been healed by the 
same power. Her disease had been pronounced cancer 
and physicians had failed to help her. 

Examples No. 6. 

THE AUTHOR'S FIRST EXPERIENCES IN THE 
PHENOMENA OF MENTAL HEALING. 

In 1851, just after attending a course of lectures, I 
had occasion to call at the blacksmith shop of Edward 
Adcook, then a neighbor of mine, near Fayetteville, N. Y. 
He stopped hammering a piece of hot iron and said : 

" There is one thing you can't do ; I've got a terrible 
toothache ; and you can't stop it." 

" Come to me and see ! " said I. 

He laid his hammer on the anvil and came to the door. 
I looked firmly into his eyes, gently touched his face with 
my fingers, and commanded him to be free from pain ; 
holding in my mind a kindly desire, and a firm faith that 
the aching would disappear. For a few seconds I silently 
kept his eye ; and then said : 

" Sir, your pain has gone ! " 

He turned without replying and went to his anvil to 
w r ork. In a short time he said : 

" Say ! see here ! that is a very strange thing — the 
pain did stop ! And my tooth does not ache a bit! " 



122 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

My brother Albert, about that time, said to me one 
day: 

"I have a bad side-ache this afternoon." 

I treated him in a similar way, but with more action 
of my hands. After a few minutes my brother, with 
pleasant surprise, said: 

" Well, something has stopped the pain." 

P. P. Quinby, in Portland, Me., for many years 
prior to 1863, practiced "Mental Healing" with marvel- 
ous success. He did not believe in church creeds, but was 
noted for his efforts to do good, and his faith in some 
invisible power to heal the sick in answer to his earnest 
desire ! Quinby's treatment was first an " explanation 
of what he believed"; then, not audible prayer, but 
" silent mental work." 

Quinby thought that his success " demonstrated " the 
correctness of all his theories and his opinions ; especi- 
ally his notion that disease was " not a reality — only a 
belief." This was poor reasoning: because mental cures 
were not confined to people of Quinby's theory or belief. 

Quinby's success, it is evident, only " demonstrated " 
the same thing that the cures by the Catholics, or Meth- 
odists, or "Christian Scientists," also demonstrate! that 
the united faith of "healer and patient" (or at least the 
consent of the latter) in the incomprehensible mind- 
power, and an earnest desire, with wise and special efforts, 
to be in harmony with and to work with that power, and 
the patient being obedient to some suitable rules for 
seeking faith, health and a happy state of mind, are con- 



THE SYRIAN HEALER. 123 

ditions that make such benefits possible from God to 
His creatures. 

This unsectarian view of Mental Science and Chris- 
tian healing will be found consistent with Christolution 
theology. 

THE FIRST CHRISTIAN HEALING. 

That which distinguished the religion of the great 
Syrian in Palestine above all other systems in moral or 
mental philosophy, and above all other religions, was, 
not that He first taught the " Golden Rule" of "doing 
to others as we would have others do by us ; " nor that He 
first taught belief in the great power of God ; but that 
He taught a religion of doing good to all classes of 
mankind, even to our enemies ; and to all this He added 
instructions and commandments for His followers to 
heal the sick and the afflicted, teaching them the very 
conditions by which the power of God could be reached 
by the mental healer and his afflicted patient. 

The full teachings and doings of this man from the 
God-Mind " were not all recorded ; " nor was the world 
then ready to " contain the books." (St. John xxi : 25.) 

The New Testament, however, gives us to understand 
that Jesus of Nazareth prayed in secret and made effort 
to hold silent or secret communication with His " Father 
and our Father, the Spirit " in Nature ; and that God's 
power was therefore present with Jesus, so that, in the 
ancient terms of expression, "He healed all manner of 
diseases." (Matt, iv: 23, 21 ; x: 1; xvii : 11-21.) 

It is evident that Peter healed by the same power that 



124 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Jesus did, even when his form of speech may have been 
"in the name of Christ, his Master." (Acts ix: 38-42.) 
John reported a man healing the afflicted, who was not 
called a "follower" of Jesus. Read what Jesus said 
about it ! (Mark ix : 38-40.) 

CHRISTIAN EVOLUTION. 

Conditions rendering it possible it is never inconsistent 
with God's character for wisdom and goodness, nor His 
relation as Creator, to give answer and aid to any pro- 
gressive, human seeker after truth and goodness ; whether 
he be called Christian or Mohammedan, Buddhist or 
Brahman, or the Indian who only sees "The Great 
Spirit " in the book of nature instead of the books of 
men. 

WHAT IS PRAYER? 

There has been a custom of regarding men as leading 
prayerless and godless lives, simply from a mistaken 
view of what that mental action is or ought to be, which 
brings one into harmony with the goodness and power of 
God. 

But he who professes to believe in God cannot escape 
the conclusion that his mental powers must bear some 
mysterious relation to God ; and that every good action, 
every benevolent impulse, every useful sacrifice any one 
makes for the good of others is in some relation and 
approval of God. 

The effort, too, to reach a truer and higher under- 
standing of life and goodness, may be aided by silent 



MODERN PHARISEES. 125 

meditations and the use of silent mental forces which 
are in God's plan and have the effect of " prayer." 

Many " Pharisees," of loud and inconsistent words, do 
not understand how it is that some " man of no church " 
seems equal in goodness to any Christian, and yet does 
not, himself, realize that he is so much like a true 
follower of Christ, because ignorance, creed and custom 
have called him a " skeptic." 

Hence, it was that Dr. Quinby, like other mental 
doctors, without a creed or master to define the New 
Testament, and, without conforming to the popular idea 
of prayer, but honestly searching for truth, desiring to 
do good, did seem, from his unusual success, to receive 
and exercise from his silent work in thought and faith, a 
marvelous mental power from God and His laws in the 
specialty of mental healing. 

To men of science and clear reasoners, however, it is 
plain that the success in doing good does not alone prove 
that all one's theories and beliefs are true or well-defined. 

If the fright or nervousness of a patient be removed 
by temporary deception by some good physician declar- 
ing to the sick man that he has to-day no disease, no pain 
at all, and will be well to-morrow, success would only 
prove that such policy is a means to aid hope and faith 
and mental power to overcome the illness. But it does 
not prove deception to be better than some other plan 
that may be discovered ! 

This use of ideas and words not literally true, however, 
is common in every language for good, and in every-day 



126 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

life. It is used in prose, as well as in poetry; and in 
modern description, as well as in the Bible. 

It is petty and foolish criticism to stand about the 
language or literal meaning when goodness is the real 
intention; and in this day the words "lie" and "false- 
hood " should only be used where evil, injury and wrong 
are in the intention and meaning. (Rom. iii: 7.) 



CHAPTER XIV. 

TRUE CHRISTIAN HEALING CONSISTENT WITH SCIENCE. 
— ERRONEOUS THEORIES CORRECTED. 

All truths that help us in mental philosophy belong to 
Christolution theology. The truth of marvelous mental 
cures, both in ancient and modern times, all common as 
well as unusual manifestations of mind powers, the truths 
in sciences and in all new discoveries, the self-evident 
reality of our senses, and the consciousness of something 
within us that thinks and reasons — all these truths 
belong to relations between mankind and the God-mind 
of the universe. 

But under the terms theology and mental science, in 
America, as under the name religion the whole world 
over, many absurd things have been believed by people 
of learning, because it was learned. 

A new sect in this country, known as " Christian 
Scientists," teach in their churches and publish in books 
that " there is no matter, all is spirit." They think 
this strange belief is essential to their success in mental 
cures. 

To actual believers in Christianity it is of little im- 
portance, however, to Christian life or work, or to mental 
influence in healing, whether the atoms of any substance 
or the chaos of matter, when it is not in some visible 
organization, shall be called something or poetically called 



128 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

nothing. For whatever we call the animal body, the 
mind is the sense of feeling and is the living power in 
the body ; and is from God, the Creator and Controller 
of all that is made. 

But many people in this day require truth and close 
reasoning. 

Holding to the Orthodox idea of unlimited power, 
Mrs. Eddy, founder of the so-called " Christian Science" 
Church, saw, as any one must see, that such power would 
make God the author of all physical dangers to the 
human body and the author of all evils ; so, endeavoring 
to correct the old theology, she falls into other errors, 
contradicting the evidences of all our senses ; the founda- 
tion of all our reasoning, and denies the existence of any 
body of matter and all evils; denies, as P. P. Quinby 
did, the reality of disease, sickness and pain; and also 
denies, like some wild, old philosophers, all evidence of 
the material existence of our own visible bodies; calls 
pain, broken bones, crime, death, and every evil, a mere 
"belief" — a "mortal error." 

She sees no inconsistency in denying seriously and 
literally to people in sound health, the reality of the 
very diseases she attempts to heal in the bodies of her 
patients, and the very pains she attempts to cure. 

A painful belief, however, is a temporary reality which 
her reasoning does not explain the author of. 

She teaches that " there is no matter " ; then the con- 
tradiction " that matter is only temporary." 

She teaches that there is no evil, no pain ; then admits 



BAD LOGIC AND UNMEANING TERMS. 129 

that there is evil " error " in " mortal belief," " mortal 
mind " and painful " beliefs." 

Because the old theology cannot make God's goodness 
and unlimited power consistent with the existence of evil 
and suffering, the Eddy students think the suffering 
must be denied as a reality. As if a painful belief were 
not a temporary reality. 

But Christolution shows an explanation which does 
not need a denial of sense and reason to account for 
"evils" and " broken arms"; nor a denial of matter to 
believe in mental power. 

No explanations, no theology at all, is better than con- 
tradictions, confusion and absurdity ; unless temporary 
confusion be used as justifiable means to turn a sick 
mind from greater evils imagined. But deception for 
healthy students is not justifiable policy. 

Mrs. Eddy's explanations do not free her position from 
charging God, as the old theology logically does, with 
being the " author of evil and suffering ; " for her rea- 
soning (though she does not seem to see it) makes God 
the willing author in the old doctrine, unlimited power, 
of the pains and evils which she says exist (only) in the 
" mortal mind." 

The Eddy students are not the only Christians who 
have claimed some deep, spiritual meaning in doctrines 
and sentences that have no meaning at all. 

There was no logical meaning in the religious words 
"justice" and "goodness," when it was preached that 
our Heavenly Father decreed the punishment of infants 
and heathens for the " sins " of Adam and Eve. 



130 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

"Omnipotence" would mean that "God in His good- 
ness " decreed " error," " painful beliefs," and murders, 
and every evil act. But there is no sensible meaning in 
such theology, if "God's goodness " have any meaning. 

Bigotry, custom, fear, and fashion of "belief" may 
teach and pretend to believe in plain absurdities and con- 
tradictions, but it is not belief. And it is time we 
defined a belief which we believe, and which can com- 
mand honest, earnest support from all men accustomed 
to think and reason. 

It is possible that Mrs. Eddy's obscure sentences 
and metaphysics were designed for a metaphysical policy, 
for temporary use; and that she will ~yet make that 
explanation. 

If she could first get her students or patients to be- 
lieve that all flesh and bone is mind or spirit, and part 
of God's mind, such a student might then easily believe 
there is no real broken bone and no diseased flesh to be 
repaired ; and could then work with strong good faith 
in God's goodness and power to relieve the patient of his 
"trouble," and help him lead a better life ! 

Mrs. Eddy's belief that what is called bone is mind, 
is as consistent as the doctrine " unlimited pow r er " which 
she teaches as the " old theologians " taught to her. 

If the graduates of her " class " believe her creed, 
even then the healing power is mind, and from God ; as 
it would be in any Christian faith curing. 

With all sects, harmony in some degree must exist 
between the mind of the Christian healer, the mysteri- 
ous Mind power in Nature, and the passive mind of the 



CHRISTIAN HEALING DISCUSSED. 131 

afflicted ; and an effort must be made, and suitable health 
rules and impressions given. 

Thus the Triune Harmony is accomplished for mind to 
control the afflicted. 

Then the mental healer might command the "pain" 
and " evil " to depart, or the afflicted to be free from 
all his ailment, as Christ commanded, as one having 
faith in God, or faith in the mysterious power. 

Or, using the more positive form of expression, the 
mental healer, to his patient, denies the existence of pain, 
with faith that it has gone from the moment of his silent 
or audible command. 

To succeed, this requires firmness and faith in the 
words spoken. And yet you may not be able to compre- 
hend the reasons. 

And according to the patient's faith, obtained by some 
knowledge of facts and conditions, remarkable cures are 
effected and will generally be permanent if wise rules 
are followed. 

The Christian who can believe with Mrs. Eddy that 
there is no matter, no real flesh and bone, if he observe 
well-known mental rules, and is otherwise in harmony 
with power and goodness, can be a successful mental 
healer under the name " Christian Scientist," just as one 
can be good, and do good, who has some wrong ideas of 
science, omnipotence, atonement, baptism, reasoning, or 
mathematics. 

The Christian who cannot believe bone is a mere 
belief of something, and flesh mere opinion, can also 
remove pain, and heal the mind and flesh, in the same 



132 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Triune-mind power, under the Christolution belief of 
God's power over matter ; as proven by example cases in 
Chapter XIII. 

Suitable rules and impressive proceedings are advis- 
able ; but no exclusive forms are necessary. 

The practical teachings of mental science, and the 
power of God first taught by the great Syrian Healer, 
all hitherto so faintly understood, are, after all, the fun- 
damental teachings in all Christian healing. No mental 
cures are independent of God's plan ! 

Hence, there should be no division of Christians on 
non-essential doctrines in theory, such as the unreality of 
matter, or the natural existence of chaotic and invisible 
atoms of matter which Mrs. Eddy calls nothings, but our 
senses and science call them atoms of matter. 

So let one party, until they see it otherwise, continue 
their goodness and good works, calling our visible bodies 
a kind of solidified spirit, if they believe so, while Chris- 
tolution Christians, who may be good Catholics, or Prot- 
estants, or Unitarians, or without name, call the human 
body, as true science does, flesh and bones ; and which 
Christolution teaches were formed in the beginning, by 
the evolutionary power of God from Nature's mysterious 
chaos ; perhaps visible only when brought into created 
forms. 

It is proper to say that there is no permanency in the 
organized forms of matter ; and that all atoms of matter 
are under spirit power; but not scientific nor true to 
teach that air, earth, and water are not material sub- 
stance, and not a " reality " ; and that our bodies of 



A STRANGE BELIEF CORRECTED. 133 

bone and flesh " are not real substance," organized 
(created) from pre-existing matter under the power and 
plan of God in nature. 

The mind which studies to disbelieve all our God-given 
senses until it believes we have no real bodies, has, we 
fear, become mesmerized into that absurdity ; and will 
stay in that condition on that point until it is aroused 
and willing to see the way out ! 

My position here taken is not, however, to censure or 
blame; not even to put doubt upon goodness or intel- 
ligence ; but this : that it is possible for passiveness, 
imagination or certain temperments in some highly edu- 
cated and truth-loving persons to look upon an error, 
seen at first by themselves and everybody to be an error, 
till finally they yield to that error so they can only see it 
then as their accepted guide has impressed it ! — as experi- 
ments in hypnotism have often made subjects taste of 
vinegar and believe it to be sugar ; or deny the very 
things they saw and handled ! 

It is fortunate that the errors in Mrs. Eddy's teach- 
ings have nothing in them against practical goodness ; 
some of her errors are not understood and others not 
considered; hence do not reach into the logic, or work, 
or teaching, of some so-called Christian Scientists. 

Mrs. Eddy's followers, at least most of them, do 
not, probably, take the literal meaning of her non- 
existent theory, but accept it as many have been edu- 
cated to accept some orthodox doctrines ; in the sense of 
" mystery." 

Success in healing demonstrates nothing about the non- 



134 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

existence or unreality of evil; nor the non-existency of 
invisible atoms ! There are many things done success- 
fully by obeying conditions while the law and the theory 
remain mysteries. Marvelous cures have taken place 
by the faith and methods of Christians believing entirely 
opposite doctrines and theories, as examples prove in 
Chapter XIII. 

Christian Scientists do not even agree with the old 
theological views of Atonement ; yet they, as well as 
Protestants and Catholics, by believing in the Christ-life 
and in the power of God, by unselfish, silent desire, and 
by holding the silent thought of healing power, or by 
audible prayer, have had this increased mental power to 
heal the sick, which Christ promised His followers. 

Among numerous instances of marvelous mind-powers 
which have come to my knowledge are some public tests 
of mind-reading given in Buffalo, N. Y., November 25, 
1893; a partial account of which was published the next 
day in the Buffalo Sunday Express. The particulars 
also have just been related to me by an acquaintance, 
Mr. Nelson O. Tiffany, Secretary of the Masonic Life 
Association, who, with Dr. Armstrong, was on the com- 
mittee selected as competent and reliable gentlemen to 
investigate the test cases. 

Some of these tests proved, as other cases have done, 
that there is a spiritual power within man's body which 
can reach the mind of another. May it not also reach 
the mind in nature, and also a disembodied spirit under 
favorable conditions? All these things are consistent 
with a true Christianity and the healing power ; because 



A TEST CASE OF MIND-READING. 135 

science and all truth that may be discovered belong to 
God! 

Mr. Tiffany was desirous of testing the power of any 
mind to come in contact with the mind of another, or to 
read the mind of another, through any unknown mental 
mediumship ; therefore he subjected the mind-reader to 
several personal experiments, which he told me were per- 
fectly successful. 

One instance is here briefly recorded : " I have a 
small scar on my foot," said Mr. T., "and I knew that 
the man, who was a stranger to me, could have no idea of 
the scar or test I suddenly thought I would give him ; so 
while thinking of that scar he was required to read my 
mind or thoughts. And he immediately placed his finger 
on top of my shoe over the exact spot where the scar is 
located." 

Let us hope that the mental operator may soon reach 
that power in God's evolution of things when the bank- 
wrecker, the dishonest politician, the thief, and the mur- 
derer will be sure that his " sin " will find him out. 

The more we discover about mind, or see of its mani- 
festations in man or nature, the greater must be our faith 
in the Christian healing power from God. If the Agnos- 
tic Scientist, who reads some of the suggestive things in 
Christolution, will for himself investigate further in the 
same line of facts and arguments, he will have no occa- 
sion to doubt that ancient case of the woman at the well 
who said, " Come and see a man who told me all the 
things of my life ! " 

How to work more and more understandingly, or more 



136 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

impressively, with God's mental conditions, is common 
ground for all Christians, or all believers in the creative 
mind. 

The healing which has been done by Christians of 
opposite doctrines does not, of course, demonstrate which 
are correct in their contradictions ; but does prove that 
there are some conditions of spirit or mind-powers com- 
mon to all, and their differences and mistakes to be of 
comparatively little importance to those who honestly 
believe some errors which are not essentially against the 
good work. 

Consistently with true science and the essential things 
of true religion, Christian healing is possible among all 
sects of Christians ; and among some people who are not 
called Christians. 

It is the object of Christolution to set forth the true 
foundation theory ; explaining also sufficient errors to aid 
the advance onto the common ground for true Science 
and true Christianity. 

In regard to the erroneous belief of " Christian Sci- 
entists " about the unreality of matter, Mrs. Eddy could 
have found the Christolution definition of it better suited 
to every good position she has taken ; even better suited 
to her good effort and sometimes success in giving nobler 
interpretation to the Bible than the popular reading of it. 

Natural matter, uncreated into form and combination 
by the power of God, is either visible or invisible chaos. 

God has power in natural possibilities to make His 
forms of matter disappear back into their original par- 
ticles, in ways of decay and chemical action. 



SCIENCE SUPPORTING FAITH. 137 

Our material bodies and every solid form, the earth 
and all things therein, are subject to change, dissolution 
and apparent, but not real, disappearance ; though in 
ways and conditions only partially known to man. 

Pain, suffering and ignorance, in man's identity in the 
temporary union of his material body and mind, have 
been occasioned by temporary, but inevitable, obstacles 
in the way of better possibilities. 

Such evils are being removed by the power of mind ; 
and, as God brings man to understand the conditions of 
reaching that power, man will finally discover what God 
is revealing for him to reach the higher life, and a more 
wonderful view of the spiritual body. 

Now to those who can believe that we have no material 
bodies, and that pain and broken arms are only caused 
by erroneous belief, I admit that such theory can give to 
those who believe it a faith and positiveness essential to 
mind-healing. 

But Christolution gives a scientific faith ; and hence 
will be a more positive faith for all men of science ; and 
for all people who reason too well to believe in unrea- 
sonable things. 

Without faith in God, without desire and positiveness 
in the mind, the early Christians could not have done 
the Christ-healing. Yet they did not need to talk about 
matter nor know all about algebra. 

Faith cannot be gained by truly scientific men, through 
an unscientific doctrine which cannot be believed. Yet 
some very erroneous beliefs lead credulous minds into 
hope, faith and energy, necessary to do some good works ; 



138 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

while the very lack of effort will account for the lack of 
success under truer theories ! 

Christolution theology necessarily opposes sectarian 
bigotry, and is consistent with God's plan in all mind- 
healing. 

Christolution does not lay aside the reason and senses 
to reach understanding, but follows truth and science 
consistently ; detecting and excluding opinions not essen- 
tial to good works, or to progress. Thus it reaches all 
classes of thinking people. 

It teaches that pain and broken arms are realities, but 
just as much and as surely subject to the power of mind 
and the understanding, as far as has been demonstrated 
by any one, as if called "beliefs," or " unrealities," or any- 
thing else ; and teaches that all organizations of matter 
are from the atoms or particles of chaos ; and are subject 
to the mind of God and the sciences known to God ; that 
some things of surgery, and some things called medicine, 
have been demonstrated to be sometimes useful, and con- 
sistent with mind-healing and true science ; that food, 
due care of health and person are conditions required of 
God ; and that living the higher life as exampled by the 
Christ-life is essential to the highest degree of pure health 
and happiness ; and essential to the highest degrees of 
success in mind-healing, and that the degree of success 
will be in proportion to the observance of all these things 
by both patient and healer, to bring them both into 
harmony with the power, wisdom and love of God ; ex- 
cluding no means demonstrated to be good. 

Christolution cannot accept poisonous drugs and 



BLEEDING GEN. WASHINGTON. 139 

powerful medicines taken into the stomach or inserted 
into the flesh as anything yet demonstrated to be safe or 
reliable ; and condemns much in the old medical books 
which have, through schools of much learned error, taught 
bleeding and physic, to the injury of our bodies as well 
as produced fright and disease in the minds of people, 
preventing true conditions for restoring health and 
happiness. 

It might be interesting to offer more proof of these 
assertions ; but it would cover up the essential theory and 
arguments in this book if we followed the usual style of 
literature, "unfolding" and giving "exhaustive" treat- 
ment of things, which good sense and ordinary observa- 
tion, as we pass along, can grasp for itself. To make a 
grand theory plain, we need its great truths in sight of 
each other — not " exhaustive " pages between them ! 

The pulpit, in intelligent places, no longer preaches 
what it did when the doctors were bleeding Gen. Wash- 
ington and the rest of their patients. And I will quote 
only two or three sentences from a medical publication 
which the mail has just brought me (1894) : 

" Detroit College of Medicine. — * * * In no pro- 
fession has the conditions of success changed so radically 
in the last thirty years as in that of medicine. * * * 

" Under the influence of some collateral sciences medi- 
cine and surgery have made immense progress. * * * 

" The changes in our (medical) doctrines during the 
last two decades will seem insignificant compared with 
what will yet occur under constantly expanding knowl- 
edge." * * * 



140 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

He who believes in God cannot escape the Christolu- 
tion conclusion, that the relation of God to man and the 
power of mind over the body, for health and happiness, 
will belong as much to the future physician as to the 
doctor of divinity. 

The study of medicine and health, and the study of 
theology with mental science, needs the light of progress. 
Though physicians can say they always knew of the 
power in mental healing, just as all Christians say they 
always believed in the " unlimited " power of God, yet 
Christians almost everywhere seem to have little faith in 
the tenth chapter of Matthew ! and medical practice has 
as little success to show for its knowledge of mental 
healing ! ! 

The reason seems to be that neither party, D. D. nor 
M. D., has had any consistent or scientific ideas or 
theory of the Mind-in-Nature, and the Mind-in-Man, and 
their relations and powers! Hence, neither doctor nor 
Christian, could exercise firm faith for themselves nor 
inspire it in others, as was confessed by the noted French 
scientist, the late Dr. Charnot. (Chapter XIII.) 

Properly considered, medical science should include 
everything that has been demonstrated to be useful in 
sustaining health and curing or relieving mental or 
" physical" suffering. 

Doctors are needed, — medicine must often be used as 
an antidote, or a resort where lack of suitable effort 
and faith, and lack in the knowledge of suitable rules of 
life and living, prevent success in mental treatment. 

Mental treatment under faith in God should be prac- 



EXPERIMENT, DISCOVERY, PROGRESS. 141 

ticed by the doctor, the friends, or the nurse, in every 
case of pain or illness ; to which end study this book and 
other suitable works, to gain and sustain health and 
happiness. 

It is very clear that new discoveries cannot be learned 
in old books. Investigation, experiment and discovery 
belong to progress. Even when a blind faith gives 
energy and success in mind-healing, it is not for science 
to ridicule, but to admit the facts and wait till it can 
explain ! 

Science has recently learned something of the condi- 
tions for the beneficial use of electricity, something also 
of the conditions by which hypnotic and mesmeric influ- 
ences can be used to benefit persons in some classes of 
ailments.* 

So-called Spiritualism has been investigated by scientific 
men. Fraud and deception are admitted here, as in other 
things ; but some of its mental and physical phenomena 
have been found to be beyond a clear and satisfactory 
explanation. 

*It should be a question worthy of "medical science" and wise men 
to consider, whether instead of wasting time and money on electrical or 
mechanical contrivances for killing criminals, it were not better to make 
scientific use of them, with a plan of greater restraint over dangerous 
motives in society. Let their final fate be a mystery to the masses : have 
such "criminals" kept, under humane regulations, for experimental uses 
relating to questions which inventive thought, science and medical doc- 
tors need to know for the good of society and mankind ; questions relat- 
ing to diet, medicine, surgery, mental and physical treatment, habits 
and rules of living, and theories for longevity. Many experiments 
would prove beneficial to the convicts themselves. And it were better to 
have the risks applied where punishment is necessary than to test theo- 
ries and new discoveries in asylums, poor-houses and hospitals. 



142 CHRISTOLUTIOX WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

And the Christian who ridicules the possibilty of 
spirit manifestations is ridiculing his own Bible record 
on that subject. Why should a Christian join the 
agnostic and the skeptic against spirit evidence or Peter's 
Christian healing ? 

The writer knows by personal, careful investigations 
that tables (as one mysterious manifestation) have been 
moved by some mental force — not yet satisfactorily ex- 
plained, nor even disproving sj)irit claim — giving intelli- 
gent answers by signs, tipping by signals requested, once 
for no, and twice for yes ; to the amusement or astonish- 
ment of honest investigators who have observed condi- 
tions rendering fraud impossible. 

We know something of the conditions, but nothing of 
how mind can thus affect or control the substance matter 
of wood in a table. We know little as to how the mind 
of one person may affect the physical condition of another 
animal body ; or what electricity is, and what animal 
magnetism is ; or, how the mind of God or Man is 
voluntarily or involuntarily connected, or disconnected, 
with matter. 

And the more we learn in God's deep sciences, the 
more w T e see there is to learn: the more proof we find 
of a universal intelligence contriving matter into uses 
and keeping order in the universe of endless distance. 

Hypnotic power, or mesmeric influence, is not yet 
generally recognized as one of God's forces belonging 
to " Orthodox " theology, or to the regular practice of 
physicians ; but it does belong, with every other power, 
to the Christian Deity, who is working the plans of 



HYPNOTISM AND ELECTRICITY. 143 

evolution upon a grander scale than the author dreamed 
of, when he joined the " Close-Communion " Baptist 
Church, in his native town, at the age of fourteen, in 
Fayetteville, Onondaga Co., N. Y., in 1840.* 

It may be objected that the hypnotic power, or nies- 
merism, has been, and can be, used for wicked or evil 
purposes ; and, therefore, is not among forces used for 
good by the Mind-in-Nature. 

We need only answer that the Bible was once success- 
fully used by clergymen to hypnotize common sense and 
convince good people that American slavery was right ; 
uneducated minds being too passive, under the old belief 
of infallibility in the understanding and keeping of 
ancient records, by mere men through many dark cen- 
turies. (See Chapter I.) 

It is possible for mistaken teachers to use the best and 
noblest principles in a way to mislead any mind that 
permits its reason to rest, while any influence is leading 
it away from the reality of the senses. 

Shall we deny that the mysterious force — electricity — 
belongs to God ; and that He is using it through the 
inventive power of His creatures, as far as possible, for 
good ? 

Does electricity kill by accident ? 

Yes ; and some men become insane looking for some 
alleged truths in the Bible. 

If God cannot prevent some of the apparent evils 
which Christolution explains the existence of, does it 

* Although at that age I sometimes strayed into the near-by Presby- 
terian Church of Rev. Richard Cleveland, whose son is now President of 
the United States while I am writing Christolution. 



144 CHRISTOLTJTION WITH ILLUSTKATIONS. 

prove that such forces and things are not for God's uses 
to bring about every possible good, in the progress of 
man, in religion and science tog: ther ? 

Everything that can be used for good belongs to truth, 
religion, and God. 

Evils can only be suppressed when time and conditions 
are reached. 

In the degree to which man reaches the understanding 
and the practice of those conditions — in that degree will 
he reach heaven and escape evils ! This is God's plan of 
progress and is progressive salvation. 

But in order to avoid or overcome the conditions which 
bring accidents and evils, we must not be ignorant of 
some of the dangerous ways in which error comes and 
puts our reason to sleep and our senses too. 



CHAPTER XV. 

god's relation to forces that can be used for 
evil or good. — electricity. — hypnotism. — the 
suicide club. 

Inattention, lack of interest, and minds undisci- 
plined for careful reasoning, are things dangerous enough 
to religious progress among men and women everywhere. 
But there is a danger more subtle, which Christolution 
finds can come upon some of the most highly-educated 
leaders of religious thought. 

That danger is not sufficiently understood to be fully 
recognized as yet by any name ! It is suggested in either 
term, hypnotism or mesmerism, but reaches further into 
beliefs and human lives than science has yet perceived. 

It has been long known, however, that the mesmerizer 
or hypnotizer gains control over the reason, and often, in 
some degree, over the senses of the person who submits 
to his first influences ; but that no person can be thus 
controlled, who does not first passively consent or seek to 
have his will and reason governed. 

The writer was one in a class of seventy, in 1851, who 
attended a course of lectures in Syracuse, N. Y., where 
the use of this influence, as far as was then understood, 
was taught as part of the means of healing the sick. 

Quite remarkable cures without the use of medicine 
were wrought at that time ; some of them known to the 



146 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

writer, who was successful himself in each of the few 
cases which he then had the faith to attempt. 

It was no explanation when it was said that "mes- 
merism " or " psychology " was the influence used. 

For we knew as little of those mysteries as we did then 
of God's electricity ; or as we do now of God's force 
which Isaac Newton named attraction of gravitation. 

Just how God was using us to work those cures we 
did not know ! 

We now find that a desire in the mind to do good, and 
a faith in the power and goodness of God (or of mental 
power in nature which is the true God), are conditions 
which are necessary to the highest success in the use of 
any means which God brings to our knowledge. 

Why was not this mind-healing power investigated 
and practiced by the medical profession ? 

Because there is bigotry and learned quackery in med- 
ical schools as in schools of theology. And partly 
because unreasonable things have been claimed by those 
who advocate Christian healing ; and because ignorance 
and customs oppose it ! 

On the 27th of March, 1892, at a Christian Science 
church in Buffalo, N. Y., I listened to a discourse by 
Mrs. Dr. Julia King, one of the most learned of Mrs. 
Eddy's disciples. She gave permission to ask questions, 
and I inquired : 

" Is the glass, just held in your hand, matter? " 

Mrs. King replied, " It is matter." 

I knew that Mrs. Eddy taught " there is no matter — 
all is Spirit." 



MRS. EDDY'S MISTAKE EXPLAINED. 147 

In a few words of conversation after the discourse, she 
said, " Matter is nothing ! " 

I asked what the glass was made of ; she replied, " It 
was principle before it was glass." 

Yet she must have known that glass is manufactured 
from pre-existing forms of matter, sand, lime, etc., and 
that glass could never be manufactured out of any rule 
or principle without some material ingredients ! 

Holding my hat in one hand, I said, " If matter be 
nothing, then my hat is nothing: and how shall I find 
my hat ? In which hand do I hold my hat ? " 

My reasoning and questions had no effect. Mrs. King 
and my " Christian Science " friends, some of them, 
kindly smiled, concluding that I was unable to " under- 
stand " them ! 

Now, if this highly educated lady had become hypno- 
tized by Mrs Eddy's influence, or her book, against her 
own former use of reason on this one point, matter, it 
was sadly true, that she could not see the difference 
between principle as a rule and glass as a result of put- 
ting that rule into practical use by manufacturing the 
article glass out of pre-existing matter. 

Thus we get a new glimpse of the dangers of this 
influence, or force, which God, through science, will some 
day bring us to more fully understand for good uses. 

A noted Christian Scientist lately said to me that it 
took him some years to see that there is no matter, but 
that at last he understood it ! 

As a favorable condition for the patients of this sect, 



148 CHRISTOLUTIOX WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

while under their treatment, they require them to daily 
read and " try to understand " Mrs. Eddy's book. 

Laying reason aside, to reach her faith in the belief of 
" no matter " and " unreality " is certainly favorable to a 
hypnotic control by Mrs. Eddy over the mind of the 
passive patient. And the mysterious power belongs to 
God so far as it may aid in God's work to heal. 

But it would lead to a more correct faith in God, not 
to deny reason and sense about realities and matter ; for 
people can believe a theology which consistently teaches 
that God and human minds, working together, can over- 
come real difficulties, through the power of mind over the 
atoms of matter. 

Under reasonable beliefs most patients could be more 
easily induced to yield to conditions of mind-healing. 
They need not believe that glass and broken arms are 
things that do not exist ; and that matter and things are 
nothing: nor need any Christian healer believe it. No 
such belief was necessary for the cures quoted in Chapter 
XIII : nor in the New Testament. 

It is unscientific to say that any temporary form of 
matter can be reduced back so fine that the atoms should 
be called nothing : for a million " nothings " could not 
be gathered into something! But re-forming those invisi- 
ble atoms would, of course, produce the glass again ! 
Nothings never could ! 

No better proof of hypnotized reason can be found than 
the fact that Mrs. Eddy's strange " reasoning " and con- 
tradictions of our senses, and her misuse of words, have 
by some students, while reading her book, been accepted 



AVOID HYPNOTIC CONDITIONS. 149 

as " Divine Science " ! As if a Divine Science would 
deny the truths of any science, or any truth, or our 
senses ! 

But, though hypnotism can thus be made dangerous to 
good reasoning, yet under God's evolutionary plan, man 
is reaching safer and higher knowledge for its help, as 
one of God's laws, in Christian healing. 

In God's ways Christians of widely different beliefs 
have, in many well-known cases, successfully used Chris- 
tian faith, with God's mental laws, in healing invalids 
hundreds of miles from them. This need not be doubted, 
for we must remember that Mind-in-nature extends from 
any one place to any other ! and this belief forbids us to 
question distance, when right conditions bring man into 
possible degrees of harmony with God's power. 

In the year 1860, I met a noted Spiritualist who told 
me he had received visits from the spiritual forms of his 
deceased friends, and had conversed with them. 

He also said that if I would follow the right ;i con- 
ditions," I, too, could see the same evidence of the truth 
of Spiritualism. 

" What are the ' conditions ? ' " I inquired. 

"Go into a room alone," said he, "and sit at a table 
one or two hours every evening, and passively wait with 
willingness to receive spiritual impressions, and if you 
follow that course long enough you can become a medium 
and see and converse with the spirits." 

I replied: "If some people were to follow such a 
course long enough they would become self -hypnotized : 



150 CHRISTOLUTIOX WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

their imagination, instead of reason, would see anything 
they looked for ! " 

Yet men who know this danger are the right ones 
to guard against it and fairly investigate facts. It is 
dangerous to throw reason and sense aside for amuse- 
ment, or for anger, or love, or fear, or to find truth in 
any teaching ; yet, mental magnetism, as well as God's 
electricity, can be used safely and for good. Even a 
degree of intelligence or learning can be used for evil or 
for good. 

When reason and sense, and moral principles, and 
goodness, and kindness, are laid aside, it is possible for 
intelligent men and women to reach the hypnotic state 
of evil-mindedness, which makes other people wonder at 
their unreasonable course. 

Yet God, through man, can use even the mesmeric 
influence with whatever other powers are possible to 
accomplish good. And it would be unreasonable to 
deny conditions to discover spirit power or to accomplish 
Christian healing. 

Evil and danger, however, as far as possible, are re- 
quired of »God to be avoided, by knowing and using 
proper safeguards. For such uses reason was given to 
man to be used ! 

Some young students, unconscious of hypnotic danger, 
not long ago banded themselves together, in a joking 
mood, as " The Suicide Club." They laid reason and 
sense aside to enjoy the mystery of a strange novelty — 
at last, on the one point self-preservation, they lost reason. 



UNCONSCIOUS HYPNOTISM ON ONE POINT. 151 

They had obeyed hypnotic conditions and become a club 
of monomaniacs. 

The following is the published account of their club, 
April 9, 1892, in the Niagara Falls Journal : 

" The authorities of Bucharest, Romania, are much 
stirred up over the discovery of a club, formed among 
the cadets of the Romanian Military School at Krajova, 
the members of which are pledged to commit suicide as 
soon as their names should be drawn. The cadets be- 
longing to the upper class in Romania, and the members 
of this club, were all the sons of prominent families. 

" The club is said to have been originated by one of 
the cadets who had read, some time ago, of the existence 
of such a club in America. He called the attention of 
his associates to the matter; and at first in jest they 
entered into a compact of a similar kind. The survivors 
have confessed that they were not really in earnest when 
they began, and were greatly shocked when the first 
whose name was drawn drew a pistol, without a word of 
warning, and shot himself dead. 

" Others were admitted to the club, until it numbered 
nineteen members. Five cadets in succession took their 
lives in one week, all in the same manner, by shooting 
with a revolver, and all without apparent notice. The 
authorities became alarmed. They were likewise urged 
to a strenuous investigation by General Lahovari, the 
Minister of War, to whom the parents of the dead 
youths made earnest complaints. The result was the 
discovery of the Suicide Club." 



152 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

The temperaments of some men are such that they 
reach a kind of hypnotism, if they too often throw reason 
aside, even to seek a delusion of pleasure ; confusing the 
mind with reckless companions, or clubbing together in 
saloons, often forgetting every tie of love at home, or 
debts they owe to others. 

And yet God is bringing man by evolution to know 
how to make use of this very principle of hypnotism to 
aid in the cure of evils. It is probable that God is 
using hypnotism now, and His other forces, to cure the 
drunkard's mind, while taking so-called " medicine " at 
some new institutions. 

Who hath not a friend to caution or to save from 
errors or dangers, by sending this golden book to them ? 
A book which was written without expectation of gain, 
and which, perhaps at present, can only be sold to the 
few who can, or dare to think beyond old errors ; or old 
habits and customs ! But years hence this book will do 
good in all countries. 

The following rules for safety are offered against be- 
ing led, or unconsciously leading one's self, into dangers 
through hypnotism, or even by careless reasoning: 

Except for healing, or some noble purpose, and except 
with intelligent and trusty operators, and except wise 
friends are near, never give your mind to a passivd state, 
or consent to be controlled and subdued by the influence 
of the mind and will of another, either in a general sense 
or for any specific purpose. 

To guard against new errors, or remaining in old ones 
unconsciously, never read without watchful thought ; 



A VALUABLE CAUTION. 153 

watch against confusion of words; never listen to any 
discourse or argument in that credulous, passive, consent- 
ing, inactive state of mind, which would allow hypnotic 
conditions and influence. 

If one shut his soul from reason's light, 
He may believe whatever taught is right ; 
Or else in strange confusion may profess 
Belief that all he sees is nothingness ! 
The mind is ours to choose, as best we can, 
What friend, or book, or priest, has taught to man. 

Carefully guard against hypnotism on doctrines or 
things that are dangerous or doubtful ; which would 
require the delusive condition of first doubting the 
evidence of all our senses and the universal sense of 
mankind ! 

Notice also hypnotism almost recognized in the follow- 
ing lines of Pope : 

" Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, 
As to be hated needs but to be seen ; 
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, 
We first endure, then pity, then embrace ! " 



CHAPTER XVI. 

INSTRUCTIONS IN MENTAL TREATMENT. AN INTEREST- 
ING EXAMPLE. A CHRISTOLTTTION PRAYER. 

For the highest work in Christian healing you should 
live to the best of your understanding the higher life; 
loving your neighbor as yourself. To this end often 
meditate in cheerful, good and wise thoughts ; and study 
the life of Christ. Also read and learn those things 
which new discoveries teach of mental power. 

Give no place in your thoughts to any doubts and fears 
of God's dealing with you or others ; nor the frightful 
sermons, creeds and theologies born of illiterate times. 

" Get wisdom, and with all thy getting get understand- 
ing." Then thou wilt learn what to unlearn as well as 
to learn. 

Be not bigoted nor set, but liberal and broad-minded 
toward all who disagree with you. Govern thyself at all 
times against injury to the feelings of any one, and 
against anger, and evil, or careless gossiping. 

Study books of your own selection, and of wise, broad- 
minded friends; and study your own "good sense" also. 
Study this book, and especially the Rules of Life (Chap- 
ter XL). 

Take that meaning in ancient writings which is con- 
sistent with God's goodness and justice ; count other 
apparent meanings as historical, allegorical, obscure, or 



INSTRUCTIONS IN CHRISTIAN HEALING. 155 

ancient figure : or as ancient styles or methods of teach- 
ing or recording things, or an error in man's records. 

And especially be not too much prejudiced in your 
early religions education ; but remember that Calvin and 
our grandfathers, as well as Moses and St. Paul, did not 
live in the ace of light to which God has now advanced 
mankind; and consider, also, that God can manifest 
Himself now, as well as to men in darkened ages. 

Imbue your mind with the thought that God and 
Christ are one in goodness and love ; that any man 
having regard to the observed power of man's mind over 
his visible body, and of God's mind over all, and who 
follows the teachings of Christ, shall be able, by the 
power of God and God's conditions, to do the works 
which Christ promised; and which in modern times have 
been wonderfully brought forth on many occasions. 

Before attempting to heal the afflicted have the patient, 
when convenient, in a room made pleasant with God's 
flowers and the cheery sunlight. (See Illus. Xo. IT.) 

Explain such things as shall seem suitable to win con- 
fidence in the conditions required and in the presence 
and power of God. 

Make the patient understand that all science and all 
powers are brought into existence by the creative power 
of God. who is bringing man to a knowledge of their 
uses for good as fast as mankind can be brought toward 
the understanding of God's plan and into harmony with 
the goodness of God. 

Finally, in the presence of the patient alone, or with 
loving helpers, and without audible words for a short 



156 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

period, concentrate your mind with deep and firm convic- 
tions that God is working with you upon the mind of the 
afflicted one, restoring his mind to a full and healthy 
control in its voluntary and involuntary powers over the 
whole body. 

It is well, sometimes, to take the patient's right hand 
in yours, and, asking him to close his eyes and think of 
God's power to heal, place your left hand on his fore- 
head and say aloud with firm thought and manner the 
complaint shall disappear. 

Before leaving the patient see that his mind is turned 
entirely away from his pain or complaint. And finally 
give such directions that all others shall treat the patient 
in ways to prevent unpleasant conversation or anything 
that might weaken the confidence or remind him of his 
trouble. 

See that directions are observed to occupy the mind as 
constantly as possible with pleasant thoughts, suitable 
changes, rest, nourishment, etc. And especially direct 
him to read, or to listen to reading daily, of such selec- 
tions that may hold his confidence in the success of God's 
mental sciences. Make selections wisely from the Bible 
and from Christolution, or any other book suitable for 
the mind of the patient. 

Do not confine your treatment to the same methods 
with all cases, but adapt your plan to the condition, tem- 
perament, mind and complaint. 

There will be cases when you may deliberately say or 
read the words from this book : 

If you have the pain (or name the complaint) you 



AN EXAMPLE CASE BY THE AUTHOR. 157 

speak of come to me and it shall cease. Now as I take 
your hand look into my mind through my eyes and 
believe, as I do, that God will drive that pain away ! 

" It seems to be one of the conditions necessary, my 
brother (or sister), that you do something to put your 
mind in a receptive condition. 

w * And you have now done so, by showing this willing- 
ness to receive God's help. It is by some influences or 
power in God's sciences, and in the working of my mind 
with yours, my brother, that your affliction is this 
moment leaving you ! 

" I ?ioiv command it to disappear instantly. It is 
gone! gone by the mysterious powers of God!" 

It was after this manner, except that I adapted my 
words -more to the comprehension of a child, that I 
was the instrument in God's hands of curing a little 
girl's headache one morning (in 1892), as she and her 
mother entered my parlors. 

" Lilly is beginning to have one of her spells of sick- 
■ headache which will last a day or two," said her mother. 
" She has been troubled this way for some time back, 
every week or two." 

" Come to me, my child," I said to her very kindly. 
" I do not want you to have the headache. And God 
does not want you to have it, and you shall not have it 
any more." 

I took her hand and she looked confidingly into my 
eyes, while I felt strong faith in the power and goodness 
of God, the everywhere-present Mind-in-Nature, and said 
what seemed suitable to her tender years. Finally feel- 



158 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

ing sure and glad, I said : " Now, my little girl, I feel 
sure that your headache is stopping ! Yes, it has stopped 
— it is cured ! So now you can amuse yourself to-day 
free from pain ! You will have no more of it." 

A few moments "later she said to her mother, " I won- 
der how my headache was cured! " 

Six months later her mother said to me, "My little 
girl has not had a bit of headache since the time you 
cured her ; and she often tells people how strangely she 
was cured by Dr. Edwards." 

How a medicine would be praised if it furnished even 
the above results as often as is now known (and has 
never been entirely lost in faith) among good people 
(Protestants and Catholics also), who believe in Chris- 
tian healing and dare to do their faith ! 

What right in common sense has any Christian to 
doubt God's goodness or power to help any true follower 
of Christ now as much as God did -Peter and Paul to do 
Christian healing ? 

Mrs. Eddy's mistakes in her theories and reasonings 
accepted by some of her followers is no argument against 
her Christian goodness ; and has really nothing to do 
against a truer theory or the principles of true Christian 
healing; as taught in Christolution. 

Mrs. Eddy's mistakes are not cruel and unjust like the 
Calvinistic creeds ; and her reasoning is no worse than 
that in the old theologies. Her followers have the moral 
courage to try to do good as Peter and Paul did ; and 
this is essential direction for Christolution healing also — 
have moral courage, and impart the same bravery to 



WHAT A MIRACLE IS. 159 

your patients. With faults in their theory and in their 
reasonings they succeed far above other Christians who 
make less effort ; and who have less faith in God's power, 
and in the need of suitable rules of life ! 

The Christolution doctor will be told awhile yet that 

the day of miracles is past." 

But the word " miracle " is one of the terms, like 
** omnipotence," and u free will," and " God's anger," 
that has been warped out of true meaning by backward 
times. 

Christolution would define miracle to mean the power 
of mind under God's laws working; some great good not 
comprehended by mankind generally, or beyond the full 
comprehension of the most scientific men. 

Such miracles are not past. They are constantly 
taking place in different localities ; and it would be 
wiser for all men to seek to know more about them. 

Christolution healing is true Christian healing and 
comes by the pow r er of God in the ways of God and 
Nature, and through conditions which God knows it is 
possible to w r ork for the good of His creatures. 

If the mind-healer be not a physician, it will be proper 
in many cases to employ broad-minded doctors from 
any progressive institutions of learning, as harmonious 
co-operators. 

But no physician should be sent for, who, in this day 
of progress, will not work in harmony with God's mental 
laws himself, or w T ith Christolution nurses or mental- 
healers of sound sense and education. Illogical and 



160 CHR1STOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

narrow minds, even when educated, should be avoided in 
difficult cases. 

No doctor should ever be employed who has not made 
it known to you that he has freed himself from much of 
the learned errors coming from old books, or from any 
institutions which fail to teach the " faith-power " of 
mind in healing; and no doctors who, after the fashion 
of fifty years ago, still deal in dangerous doses, or weaken 
their patients by useless bleeding ; or who let them die 
for want of water and proper air and suitable nourish- 
ment ; or who give obscure directions to friends and 
nurses ; or who refuse the quiet and cheering presence of 
friends in the sick-room in times of dangerous accidents 
or sickness ! 

Do not allow any indiscreet talker to say things to any 
patients that can be construed into anxiety or doubt of 
recovery. Too much attempt to cheer, is apt to mean 
there is danger. Too much manifestation of sympathy 
for the same reason must be avoided. 

Whatever is done to give hope and courage, let it be 
done as if it were not greatly needed — done as if the 
person were well and you in the room an unconcerned, 
quiet companion, or, when suitable, a lively entertainer. 

Allow as few signs of sickness and danger around the 
room as possible. 

Do not even leave food and dishes of nourishment, too 
much, in sight of the patient ; then when the food is 
brought it will seem more like offering it to other people 
— in health. 

Do not allow strange nurses in peculiar dresses to be 



A CHRISTOLUTION PRAYER. 161 

in sight more than necessary ; and see that friends are 
well instructed by this book, or otherwise, before acting 
as nurses or even callers. 

And, above all, do not sadden or weaken the hope of 
recovery by allowing any one to worry and " prepare the 
patient for death " ; and thus destroy their last strength 
to live. 

We can better trust the future with God's goodness 
and wisdom, while we spend our time trying to reach 
God's means and power to comfort, cheer, and heal the 
weak. 

A Form of Silent or Spoken Prayer, which may 
be used by the mental doctor at the close of his visit : 
his patient, if required, repeating it after him. This 
prayer may be suitable on many occasions. 

Our Father, which art without beginning or 
end in time and in space ; which art the power, 
goodness, wisdom and Mind-in-Nature, Thou hast 
made us know it is good for us, Thy creatures, 
Thy children, to seek to know Thee, and to know 
ourselves better. 

For it is only by the use of that understanding 
which Thou hast given us that we shall improve 
our lives and advance where Thou art trying to 
lead us. 

Teach us to read rightly what Thou art trying 
to reveal to our understanding from all we read 
and from all sources. 

Help us — God, we know Thou art helping 



162 CHRISTOLUTION WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 

us ; we do not ask because we doubt, but only 
to express the joy of our heart and put in earnest 
words our desire to so live that Thou canst pro- 
tect us from all evil thoughts, sickness, weakness, 
pain, and harm. 

In Thy progressive plan Thou art revealing to 
us conditions necessary for man to receive a de- 
gree of that spirit-power which made that great 
teacher, Christ, in Palestine, in harmony with 
Thee, so that goodness and healing were manifest 
in His wonderful works. 

Make us, who try to make others, happy. Help 
us to help others as Thy plan of progress is lead- 
ing ourselves away from dangers. 

Teach us to pity; even when we must severely 
restrain them who by lack of true wisdom work 
evil things to themselves and others. 

Lead us into higher life for the sake of all good 
which Thou lovest. Keep us in the light as we 
behold Thee now — giving us life, health, comfort, 
food, and power to begin our heaven here, and 
to give cheer and comfort to others ; which, at 
last, we are able to see in Thy teachings is our 
highest work and worship. 

Heal the sick, or distressed, or weak in mind ; 
every one of them ; who, in our presence this 
moment, silently ask Thy power with us; and 
believe that a life like Christ can reach the power 
of God to heal. Amen ! 



CHAPTER XVII. 

HE DARES TO DO HIS CHRISTIAN FAITH. 

(Christolution, 1894.) 

While oft the drugs and doctors fail, 
Shall Christian doctors doubt 

The mental ways by which God brings 
His healing wonders out ? 

What Christian dares to say that God 
Would give the Christian mind 

No proof, nor pow'r, since Peter's time, 
To help and heal mankind ? 

Then use such food and helpful means, 

As progress teaches when ; 
Contesting drugs and creeds alike 

That bring no good to men. 

And choose some learned doctor who 

Believes in God and means, 
And dares to use the mental work, 

When best to him it seems. 



We must begin our heav'n here ; 
And, live the life of Christ so near 
That faith is proved by doing good — 
In harmony with plans of God. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

FINALLY. 

Let us hope Christolution, and by its light the Bible, 
will be read in every family. For it will be reaching a 
heaven on earth, when instead of a blind faith, with little 
or none of Peter's healing power, and with creeds unsup- 
ported by reason and full of doubt, a generation shall 
rise up having a faith made " sure and steadfast " by just 
principles, good works and science itself; and a Chris- 
tianity that shall bring man's mind into harmony with 
the goodness and power of God. 

Let every true Christian frankly admit the errors of 
past theologians and teach God's plan of progress, and 
the Eighteen Rules of Life in their families, so that all 
rough and selfish ways may be avoided from childhood. 
Such children will rise up respected by every one to bless 
and comfort their parents. 

It is consistent to kindly advocate Christolution with- 
out leaving any church of old creeds; for a mistaken 
belief in old creeds or in anything else, is not a "sin"; 
and intelligent, thinking people, in all congregations, 
will soon be ready to accept the Christolution view 
instead of obscure definitions and contradictory theology. 

And now, dear reader, I must say farewell; adding 
only that to reach mankind, to do them good by clearer 
views of God and right, was the sole object of your 
sincere friend, 

Charles R. Edwards. 

Buffalo, N. Y., 1894. 










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